… Look for adequate funds, training for armed forces
The former Senate leader, Ali Ndume, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ignore the calls to the sack of his service leaders.
The former president of the Senate Army Committee made the call in a statement on Thursday.
Ndume’s council to President Tinubu was immediately in the agitation for the elimination of service leaders by a group, the Northern Ethnic National Forum.
The group coordinator, Dominic Alacha, had a statement in a statement on Tuesday, said that the current harvest of service chiefs lacked professional capacity to boost the war against insurgency and bandit.
Insisting that all security architecture requires a fundamental review, the forum accused the chiefs of service not delivering despite huge security funds.
“We demand angrily and unequivocally the immediate dismissal and replacement of all service leaders. The president must appoint fresh and innovative military leaders with a clear mandate and a schedule for the results,” he said.
However, NDUME said that what is required is adequate financing in terms of acquiring weapons and ammunition and a better remuneration of officers and men of the Armed Forces.
He said: “Those who press for the sack of the current harvest of service chiefs have hidden motifs and do not mean well for the current administration and the Nigerians.
“I want to reaffirm my call for a proactive team approach. What means training, equipment, ammunition and motivation. These combinations would greatly contribute to counteract terrorism, banditing and insurgency.
“It is extravagant and little charitable for any group of people accusing the current service chiefs of professional incompetence. All of them have the necessary training and experience in theatrical operations.
“All they need is adequate ammunition and motivation. The salary of a private army in Nigeria is approximately N100,000.00 ($ 67.00) per month.” Its daily subsidy (N5,000.00) is inconceivable and nothing to write home.
“People must give up pronouncements that could cushion the morals of our soldiers and officers in the field of operation.”
Ndume also praised the current administration for what he called his feeling of ethnorreligious balance in the composition of the current security architecture, unlike what was obtained in the recent past.
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