A cross-section of elders across the country under the aegis of Coalition of Nigeria Elders for Peace and Good Governance (CONEPAGG) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sack the nation’s Service Chiefs and replaced them with more capable hands.
The elders who made the call on Tuesday after a meeting in Abuja also urged the federal government to seek foreign help to tackle the worsening situation, which they said must stop.
The elders, whose call was necessitated by the latest killings of innocent farmers in Zabarmari, Borno State and also in Sokoto States by both insurgents and bandits, told President Muhammad Buhari to save Nigeria further loss of citizens lives by not only immediately sacking the service chiefs but also rejigging the entire security architecture.
The elders are Engr. Zana Goni, National Coordinator; Prof. Adebola Adeboye, Coordinator South West; Dr. Ugwuanyi Emeka, Coordinator South East; Sheik Ibrahim Mohammed Coordinator North West; Barrister Peter Shima, Coordinator North Central; Zainab Bulama, Coordinator, North East; and Dr. Solomon Dagogo, Cordinator South South respectively.
They also urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to intervene in Nigeria’s growing deteriorating security situation, asking the international security body to consider stiff sanctions against any member countries that refuses to sell arms to the country.
“As concern Nigerians with love for our dear country, we had to urgently summon this emergency meeting to appraise the current security situation and proffer possible solution.
“Today (Tuesday), we are here in Abuja to appraise the security situation in the country, particularly in the North, and make some necessary and urgent demands on the President Muhammadu Buhari, United Nations Security Council and the Nigeria National Assembly,” they said.
They condemned Saturday’s killing of farmers in Borno State by insurgents, describing it as inhuman and barbaric.
They said, “We condemn the barbaric, senseless, and gruesome killing of over 43 Nigeria farmers in Borno State. Our hearts are with the families and people of Borno State.”
They urged the National Assembly to stop the consideration of the 2021 Budget until President Buhari sacks the service chiefs, saying the president’s retention of the security chiefs in spite of the resolutions of both chambers, for change was an affront on the supremacy of the legislature.
The elders also upbraided the presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu over his comment to the effect that the farmers died of carelessness, demanding that he be sacked immediately.
“Nothing can be more callous and insensitive as this statement at a time the whole country is mourning. We demand Garba Shehu’s immediate sack by Mr. President to serve as a deterrent to people who always put his government in bad light,” they said.
They also urged President Buhari to as a matter of national urgency, put up programmes in collaboration with the private sector that will create at least 10 million jobs for the nation’s teeming youths in the country.
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