President Goodluck Jonathan’s unexpected removal of all Service Chiefs of the Nigerian Armed Forces on Thursday, has left officers and soldiers in a serious state of surprise, as top military officers said their removal came to them as a shock.
President Jonathan had exercised his presidential powers under the Nigerian constitution, sacking the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika; Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba and the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh, who was elevated as the new CDS.
However, some top military officers, who spoke to Saturday Mirror on ground of anonymity, said the action came to many of them as a shock as there was no premonition or even signs that such could take place soon.
Their views were predicated upon the fact that such action was very rare since the present democratic dispensation. According to them, most of the service chiefs who were removed in the past often knew that they were leaving.
The action of the president was also said to have come as a surprise in view of the fact that the sacked officers were considered to have exhibited a very high degree of loyalty to the president and the country in their professional duties.
“The gentlemen anchored and pursued the transformation agenda of this administration to the extent that they even created and paid much attention to the offices for transformation in their services, to ensure that Mr. President’s transformation policy was fully implemented in the military,” a source said. Speaking on the effect of the efforts of the sacked chiefs , the sources said they did enormously well, hence the present level of peace enjoyed in the country.
They said the level of success recorded in ensuring that the actions of the deadly group, Boko Haram, were reduced drastically, made their sack rather unthinkable. They said although as military men, they were always prepared for any eventuality, they were startled by even the choice of senior officers appointed to take over from them.
In the new appointment, Major General Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah, is Chief of Army Staff (COAS); Rear Admiral Usman O. Jibrin, Chief of Naval Staff, while the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), is Air Vice Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosun, and their boss, the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshal Alex Badeh, all of whom, as at close of work on Friday, had not assumed office, as they were yet to be decorated with their new ranks and given the insignia of office by the president.
The former chiefs were however, not sighted anywhere near the Defence complex that houses all the three services and the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), as their removal, beyond coming as a surprise, was also with immediate effect, leaving them to pack their loads overnight.
This, Saturday Mirror however learnt, left the administration and other activities in all services in a standstill. Sources at those services said, “nothing is happening here today. We are just awaiting our new chiefs to resume. For now, there is no accounting officer, not even the various branch Chiefs of Administration could take action. For now it is mind your department.”
However, it was clear that the new chiefs will take over from their predecessors on Monday.
Source National Mirror
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