Again, CSOs seek retirement of service chiefs, insist retention hampers career development

A Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Rights for Justice, Peace and Security (CRJPS) has joined in agitations for the retirement of the nation’s service chiefs.

In a statement issued by its Executive Secretary, Abubakar Dan Bauchi yesterday, the group insisted that it was time for President Muhammadu Buhari to listen to agitations in several quarters and put a new security architecture in place.

It criticisised the continuous retention of Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.

The group argued that in spite of what it described as their long-expired tenure, it was unjustifiable that they were still being retained, stressing that the President should immediately hearken to the voice of reason and do the needful.

It stated that its renewed call for the retirement of the security chiefs was predicated on the fact that their continued retention was not only affecting the morale of military personnel but also contributing negatively to their career progression.

“The constitutional tenure of security chiefs lapsed since July 13, 2019. Any official communication or action initiated by the security heads after that date could be deemed to be out of the law.”

“We note with regret that the continued retention of the Chief of Defence Staff and the Service Chiefs despite the fact that their constitutional tenure of office lapsed since July 13, 2019, is not in the spirit and letters of our revered Armed Forces of Nigeria.

“President Buhari’s inability to listen to voice of reason and retire the security chiefs has not helped matters, as the development has contributed to the stagnation of the career of military personnel besides the obvious fact that their morale in professional duties had been dampened,” the statement added.

The group, therefore, appealed to the President to immediately retire the Chief of Defence Staff and other service chiefs, as any official action taken by them in office after July 13, 2019, amounted to illegality.

“Besides, their continuous stay in office compresses the system and may have been responsible for the current security lapses in the country,” it lamented.