New Service Chiefs: Are They The Long-Awaited “Messiahs”?

Editor’s note: The emergence of the newly appointed service chiefs on the Nigerian political arena may possibly mark a new milestone in the six-year struggle with Boko Haram terrorist group. At least those, who were inefficient at the time of Jonathan’s administration, are fired – half the battle is won. Now it is to the new service chiefs to prove their capability. Naij.com guest author Hussain Obaro wonders if they are the new “messiahs” that will finally wipe Boko Haram off from the face of Nigeria.

The last couple of days witnessed the long-awaited sacking of the service chiefs and their subsequent replacement by the President Muhammadu Buhari. Many Nigerians expressed disappointment that the new president decided to work with the same service chiefs who worked for the last administration without really achieving anything tangible in the fight against Boko Haram. No doubt, the calibre of men who served Goodluck Jonathan was the major factor that militated against Nigeria’s successful fight against insurgency. Worthy of brief mention was the appointment of Major General Azubuike Ihejirika, who, instead of settling down to battle Boko Haram, allegedly connived with his southeastern brethren to champion a separatist agenda, and ordered the extrajudicial killing of thousands of able-bodied men and children in the north. This evil agenda, massacre of the innocent northerners and the enormous riches have since put him in the black book of Amnesty International and other international commissions and agencies.

New “messiahs”?

Finally President Buhari parted ways with Jonathan’s men and approved the appointments of Major General Babagana Mongunu (rtd.) as national security adviser, Major General Abayomi Olonisakin as chief of defense staff, Major General T.Y. Buratai as chief of army staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Iba as chief of naval staff and Air Vice Marshal Morgan Riku as head of defense intelligence. Lawal Musa Daura was appointed director general of the DSS, while Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu headed the NSCDC. The question on the lips of many is: could these be the long-awaited “messiahs” that would finally put a permanent end to Boko Haram menace in Nigeria? The problems that hampered Nigeria’s fight against insurgency include: the activities of traitors and Boko Haram sympathizers within the rank and file of the military and paramilitary agencies; rivalry and lack of proper and elastic intelligence sharing among the security agencies; human rights abuse and extrajudicial killings by the military. Nigerians are patiently and eagerly awaiting how and what these new service chiefs would do differently to bring Boko Haram to its knees.

What’s next?

Corruption, indiscipline and traitors must first of all be “weeded” and uprooted from the military, if we are to make any meaningful headway in defeating Boko Haram. Intelligence should be put in place to identify and “fish out” Boko Haram informants and sympathizers. Several cases of human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings must be properly investigated, and perpetrators should be brought to book. Different security agencies must pocket their egos and needless rivalry, and work together in terms of intelligence gathering and sharing to achieve a common aim of stamping out insurgency and other forms of violence in Nigeria. Whether the present administration and the new service chiefs like this or not, the safe release of the Chibok girls would be the high point of their success in the war against Boko Haram, and Nigerians would score their performance based on it. The time to finally and permanently crush Boko Haram is now or never!

Hussain Obaro for Naij.com

Hussain Obaro is a writer, motivational speaker and public affairs commentator from Ilorin, Kwara state.

The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Naij.com. 

Your own opinion articles and news/photo reports from your area are welcome at info@naij.com. Drop us an email at info@corp.naij.com telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Naij.com’s step-by-step guide for guest contributors.

Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Facebook and Twitter.

The post New Service Chiefs: Are They The Long-Awaited “Messiahs”? appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.