North-central elders ask Buhari to sack service chiefs

The Coalition of North Central Elders (CNCE) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the service chiefs for alleged failure of intelligence.

A statement by the coalition’s national chairman, Usman Bida, and its secretary, Moses Okudu, said the call had become necessary considering the recent security alert issued by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

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Describing the alert as “the first of such development in the history of Nigeria,” the coalition said it was as a result of “intelligence failure” on the part of security agencies.

It noted that the alert on the presence of Boko Haram elements in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, by the NCS was a basis for the president to restructure the current security architecture in the country with the sacking of the service chiefs as the first steps.

“We are saddened that there is no state in the North Central that is free from terrorists’ attacks or that has not had its own fair share of the mindless killing of innocent citizens one time or the other, a region that was the most peaceful in the entire North,” the coalition said.

The Defence Headquarters had on Sunday assured FCT residents and adjoining states that the military and other security agencies had been on red alert to ensure their safety.

Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, had said the armed forces had intensified effective surveillance of the FCT and other states to checkmate activities of the criminals.

“The Armed Forces in conjunction with other security and response agencies particularly the core intelligence agencies hereby assure the public that preventive and preemptive intelligence are ongoing. The general public is thus advised to go about their lawful businesses undeterred,” he had stated.