Tasks Before New Service Chiefs

To strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken decisive action by appointing new service chiefs, replacing the previous ones inherited from his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari. This decision has been prompted by the alarming rise in homicides that have occurred since the newly elected government assumed office.
The new service chiefs are Major-General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General Abiodun Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff; Air Vice-Marshal Baba Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff; and Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff.
Others include Major-General Paul Undiandeye, Chief of Defence Intelligence; while Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is the newly appointed National Security Adviser (NSA). Mr Kayode Egbetokun has been appointed Acting Inspector-General of Police.
Nigeria faced insecurity challenges during Buhari’s administration, resulting in the tragic murder and kidnapping of innocent citizens. However, the efforts made to tackle this issue have been insufficient, leading Nigerians to express their dissatisfaction with the government’s failure to effectively address the problem. Disturbing reports of military collaboration with terrorist organisations have caused widespread chaos, violence, and ethnic cleansing across various regions.
During Tinubu’s early days in office, there was an increase in terrorist attacks and banditry in states such as Niger, Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, and a few others. It is deeply saddening that numerous Nigerian lives have been lost, and many others have been taken captive in these incidents. The continued presence of terrorists and bandits poses a critical concern for the country.
Unlike his immediate predecessor, Tinubu undoubtedly deserves commendation for his decision to appoint service chiefs that span the six geopolitical zones of the country. The President’s determination to address insecurity is evident through his evenly distributed appointments. It is crucial for the new military chiefs to promptly take action and put an end to the ongoing menace.
The service chiefs must urgently tackle the rampant bloodshed in Nigeria, which encompasses conflicts between herdsmen and youths in the South-West, the military and members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the South-East, and Boko Haram insurgents in the North. Their primary objective should be to reduce hostilities and establish peace within the country.
They have a responsibility to develop creative strategies that directly confront insecurity. Fundamentally, they should establish specific deadlines to achieve objectives, giving prominence to security approaches driven by technology. Further, they need to prioritise the hierarchical training and retraining of security agents to equip them with up-to-date procedures for combating terrorists, bandits, and other criminals.
We expect the service chiefs to bring about substantial and positive change because they possess vast experience as generals. Merely having expertise is not sufficient. To accomplish their objectives, the military chiefs must consider the well-being of the troops on the frontlines. Military service is a national sacrifice, not a suicide mission. Therefore, it is unjust to withhold basic resources from soldiers and disregard their concerns.
Intelligence gathering and sharing among security agencies are vital in successfully combating insurgency and terrorism. The service chiefs must collaborate as a united front, considering the best interests of our nation. This firmly entails detouring any confrontations like the unfortunate incident between Babagana Monguno and Tukur Buratai when they held the positions of NSA and Chief of Army Staff.
Conducting an immediate inquiry into the tenure of the previous service chiefs is required to determine the causes behind the security lapses, concessions, and the validity of allegations regarding involvement in fund embezzlement. This step is of utmost primacy for purifying the security framework and boosting the morale of frontline troops.
When countries encounter severe threats, bold leadership, a firm grip on levers of power, and proficiency become binding for survival. Tinubu must summon these qualities to justify his recent appointment of the military men. It is our firm belief that the former military chiefs faltered primarily due to Buhari’s lack of assertiveness and ineffective leadership.
The President and his security chiefs must take immediate steps to secure external assistance, which includes troops, commandos, drones, intelligence, air bases, and airstrikes. They have to end the inter-service rivalry and coordinate intelligence, air, land, and civilian resources. It is high time they considered implementing the Unified Combatant Command, a system already adopted by numerous countries. It facilitates rapid decision-making on the battlefield and maximizes the utilisation of personnel and material assets.
The appointed service chiefs already face high expectations from Nigerians and the global community. They should uphold human rights while carrying out their constitutional duties. The President must decisively address vicious infractions without succumbing to ethnic and religious prejudices. The primary focus should be resolutely tackling insecurity, restoring peace, and rebuilding Nigeria’s defence reputation.
Finally, President Tinubu must scrupulously keep an eye on the operations of the military heads to ensure effective national security. He must surpass his predecessor’s abysmal performance. We congratulate the service chiefs and implore them to take decisive actions against criminal gangs that are causing Nigerians sleepless nights.