Alaafin Slams Security Chiefs In The Country .

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, recently slammed heads of security agencies over their inability to address the high level of insecurity in the country, saying they were either incompetent or bankrupt of ideas.

The monarch, in an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, warned him about looming anarchy in the country if the siege laid to Yorubaland by herdsmen and kidnappers is not contained.

Adeyemi, who catalogued the spate of insecurity in Yorubaland by herdsmen and their collaborators, accused Buhari of not bringing the culprits to book.

He said the Yoruba had all it took to resort to self-help if the security in the zone did not improve and people guaranteed safety of lives and property.

Titled, ‘Yoruba Question in Nigeria Conundrum,’ Alaafin wrote, “I have never been timid or failed in my total support for the success of your administration. My confidence had always been based on Your Excellency’s ability, fitness and competence in leading the country to the Promised Land, where law and order will prevail, individual liberty is guaranteed and economic wellbeing of the citizens is assured.

Could it mean that the Service Chiefs are running out of ideas, having tried their best possible in the last four years?

Many Nigerians are of the opinion that there is the need for fresh hands to pilot the affairs of Nigeria military for better results.

Although the Armed Forces Act is silent on the duration of tenure for Service Chiefs as this is at the pleasure of the President, the current occupants are already said to be due for retirement going by the public service rules.

In 2017 when the President extended their tenure, the duration of the new extension was not specified.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin, the most senior service chief, has spent 38 years in service. Upon graduation from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as a member of the 25th Regular Combatant Course, the now 57-year-old General was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Nigerian Army Signal Corps in 1981.

Until his promotion to a General and subsequent appointment as Chief of Defence Staff in 2015, Olonisakin, who at the time had spent 34 years in service, was Commander of Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) of the Nigerian Army.

Olonisakin is Course 26, but Course 33 officers are said to be retiring already.

The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, who was born in November 1960, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1983.

He is a member of the 29th Regular Combatant Course of the NDA. He was Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTNF) before President Buhari appointed him as Chief of Army Staff.

When the President recently approved the promotion Lamidi Adeosun, a Major General to Lieutenant-General, the same rank as Buratai, there were speculations that Buratai might be made Chief of Defence Staff to replace Olonishakin. This would mean, instead of retirement having spent 36 years, Buratai would be promoted to the rank of a General.

However, Adeosun himself is due for retirement this year.

Sadique Abubakar, an Air Marshal, joined the Nigerian Air Force early as a member of Cadet Military Training Course (CMTC 5) in November 1979.

He rose through the ranks, and until his appointment as Chief of Air Staff, the 59-year-old air chief was Chief of Administration at the Air Force Headquartres.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok- Ete Ekwe Ibas, was born in 1960. He is a member of the NDA’s 26 Regular Course and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant of the Navy in January 1983.

The Vice-Admiral was the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Navy Holdings Limited before his appointment in 2015.

Mr. President may need to put new security architecture in place to tackle the present insecurity headlong.