Why Buhari Can’t Sack Service Chiefs – Presidency

The presidency has disclosed the reason behind the retention of service chiefs by President Muhammadu Buhari amid strident calls for their removal owing to the dispiriting situation of the country’s security.

There’s been widespread condemnation of the performance of the service chiefs with many Nigerians demanding their removal over their inability to stem the tide of insurgency and other criminal activities that ravage the country.

In 2020, Nigeria recorded an unprecedented level of  killings by Boko Haram insurgents, bandits and kidnappers.

Ekohotblog reports that the national assembly on at least four occasions enjoined the president to relief the  service chiefs of their duties for failing to leave up to expectations.

But speaking on Sunday when he featured on a TV, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesperson, says  Buhari will not bow to pressure and will not be swayed by public opinion when it comes to the faith of the service chiefs.

He said the president sees what those calling for the removal of the service chiefs cannot see, noting that the serve chiefs serve at the pleasure of the president.

“It is because he is seeing things that critics are not seeing. He is seeing things most people don’t see,” he said in response to why the security heads are still in office.

“It is not a tenured appointment. There is no part of the law that says chief of army staff must serve for two years. Then, after two years, he must go.

“He serves at the pleasure of the president. Now, the president has said again he will make changes. When will he make those changes? It is entirely up to him. I think Nigerians should give him the benefit of the doubt.”

He added that the Buhari administration has not been able to solve the country’s security challenges because the problems are “mutating”.