President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday urged the newly-appointed service chiefs and the National Security Adviser to help him rebuild the reputation of the Armed Forces and the nation.
It can be recalled that in an apparent bid to re-jig the nation?s security apparatus in the wave of growing insurgent attacks and suicide bombings, President Muhammadu Buhari, 45 days after assuming office, yesterday sacked all the service chiefs and appointed replacements whom he said were chosen on merit.
Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a statement said Buhari made the call while addressing the new service chiefs shortly after their appointments were announced.
Shehu said the President also called on them to show utmost commitment to their new duties.
He quoted Buhari as saying that all the appointees were chosen based on merit.
He said, ?All of you, including the National Security Adviser, were chosen on merit. Your records gave you the job.
?Save for the new Chief of Army Staff, whom I briefly met at his Command at the Multi-National Joint Task Force, in Chad, I don?t know any of you. Your records recommended you.
?Legally, you are in acting capacity until the National Assembly accepts you. It is only then that you will take the oath of office. Thereafter, we will sit down and talk in more detail.?
He assured them that their nominations would be sent to the National Assembly either on Monday or Tuesday for confirmation.
Those relieved of their jobs yesterday include Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki. Others are Chief of Army Staff, Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff, Usman Jibrin; and Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu.
Badeh and the former Army, Air Force and Naval chiefs were appointed by former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in January 2014, a month after he sacked the previous top brass.
That followed a daring raid against a military installation in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, which saw aircraft destroyed and weapons seized.
?The President has relieved the service chiefs, including the heads of the Army, Air Force and Navy of their appointments,? Femi Adesina stated, adding, ?President Buhari thanks the outgoing service chiefs and National Security Adviser for their services to the nation and wishes them well in their future endeavours.?
Buratai, from Borno State ? the worst affected by the insurgency ? has been commander of the new, strengthened regional force against Boko Haram which is due to be deployed later this month.
A new commander for the multi-national force will now be appointed, Adesina said.