The Alliance of Yoruba Democratic Movement (AYDM), a coalition of 130 Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and community organizations in the South West, Kogi, Kwara and Delta states, has tasked the newly appointed service chiefs to ensure teamwork among all security agencies to effectively carry out the mandate given to them by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rescue the country from the prevailing security challenges without excuses.
The coalition also urged the newly sworn in service chiefs, including the Chief of Defense Staff, General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede; Chief of Defense Intelligence, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiendeye; the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Kevin Aneke; and the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, to strengthen the intelligence arm of the Armed Forces. He further advised them to collaborate with civil society organizations (CSOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) across the country to fulfill their mandate.
It would be recalled that President Tinubu, while swearing in the new service chiefs last Thursday in Abuja, charged them to intensify efforts to defeat terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities across the country.
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The President emphasized that Nigerians expected results, not excuses, from the new military leaders, and stressed that the nation could no longer afford to allow the crisis that began in 2009 to continue.
“I charge you, as chiefs of our nation’s Armed Forces, to discharge your duties with patriotic zeal. Nigerians expect results, not excuses. I also urge you to be innovative, preventive and courageous. Let us get ahead of those who seek to threaten our peace. Let us deploy technology where necessary,” Tinubu charged.
Speaking with our correspondent, the Secretary-General of AYDM, Comrade Popoola Ajayi, said President Tinubu’s decision to realign the command structure of the Armed Forces demonstrated leadership and foresight, describing the move as timely and proof that the President remains conscious of his responsibilities as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Ajayi, while acknowledging that the former service chiefs had performed creditably in their various roles, noted that one of President Tinubu’s key campaign promises was to prioritize security and put an end to insurgency, banditry and other forms of criminality across the country.
“Mr. President’s decision to change the Service Chiefs was timely and shows that he is well aware of his responsibility as Commander-in-Chief. Yes, the former Service Chiefs did well, but remember that one of Mr. President’s main campaign promises is to ensure security and put an end to insurgency, banditry and all forms of criminality in the country.
“We believe that his effort to realign the command structure of the Armed Forces at this time reflects leadership and foresight. While swearing in the new Chiefs, he gave them a clear order to end banditry and all forms of criminality in the country without excuses.
“For them to carry out the President’s directive, there must be teamwork among all security agencies. They must also strengthen the intelligence arm and work closely with CSOs and CBOs like ours,” Ajayi said.
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