From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammad Buhari Wednesday afternoon met with the newly appointed Service Chiefs, charging them to be patriotic, and serve the country well.
In a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari said: “We’re in a state of emergency. Be patriotic, serve the country well, as your loyalty is to the country.”
The President congratulated the Service Chiefs on heading their various services, adding:
“There’s nothing I can tell you about the service, because you are in it. I was also in it, and I will pray for you. I also assure you that whatever I can do as Commander-in-Chief will be done, so that the people will appreciate your efforts.
“You know the stage we were in 2015, you know the stage we are now, and the undertakings we made. We promised to secure the country, revive the economy, and fight corruption. None has been easy, but we have certainly made progress.”
The President also charged the Service Chiefs to be concerned about the morale of their officers and men, saying they should be made to feel physically and professionally secure. He pledged that Government would do its best in terms of equipment and logistics.
Speaking to State House Correspondents at the meeting, the Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General Leo Irabor, said Buhari told them that the expectations of Nigerians were here and they must do everything to meet them.
According to Irabor: “The message from the president is that we knowing the current security environment must do everything possible to add value to the security disposition and the expectations are high and that we are quite mindful of that expectations. So, we collectively, will work to achieve that.”
He added: “We have just seen Mr. President and we are mindful of the demands, we can only at this stage pledge our utmost best to bring safety and security to lives and properties across the country.”
Asked what he was as assuring the nation, the CDS said: “On behalf of the service chiefs, I am assuring the nation peace and security, we believe there will be value that will be added to the security disposition of the nation.”
Recall that the President on Tuesday accepted the resignation of the former Service Chiefs and appointed new ones.
The Service Chiefs, who were led to the meeting by the Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi (retd), are: Major-General LEO Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral AZ Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air Vice-Marshal IO Amao, Chief of Air Staff.
Also in the meeting was Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
