From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
Residents of the university town of Nsukka, Enugu State, have applauded President Muhammadu Buhari on the appointment of new national security service chiefs on Tuesday.
Residents in a separate interview with Daily Sun on Wednesday said the appointments by the president would bring in new strategies in the fight against insecurity in the country.
Mr Joseph Ugwuoke, the Caretaker Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Nsukka Local Government, said the President, by the appointment of the new service chiefs, had shown that he is sensitive to the wishes of Nigerians.
‘The appointment of new service chiefs by Buhari on Tuesday shows that Mr President is a leader that listens to Nigerians wishes and aspirations,’ he said.
Ugwuoke urged the newly appointed service chiefs to put in their best so as to reduce the level of insecurity in the country in order to justify the confidence of their appointments.
Mr Sunday Ozioko, a farmer, said that the appointment of the new service chiefs would check the menace of AK-47 carrying Fulani herdsmen who he said have taken over most of the farmland in the country.
‘Many farmers have abandoned their farmland because of insecurity and fear of attack by some herdsmen who move around with AK-47.
‘My expectation is that the new service chiefs would immediately address the ugly situation so that farmers would go to their farm without fear of attack by herdsmen and other criminal elements,’ he said.
Prof Aloysius Okolie, of the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), said the appointment of new service chiefs on Tuesday was a welcome development.
Okolie, who is the Dean, Faculty of Social Science in UNN, said the new appointment would help to bring new ideas in the fight against Boko Haram, armed banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country.
‘The appointment of new service chiefs in the country by Buhari to replace those that are there since 2015 is a welcome development that will inject new blood in the fight against insecurity.’
The don advised the newly appointed service chiefs to see the entire country as their constituency In the discharge of their duties if they want to succeed.
‘They must be selfless, patriotic and give everybody fair treatment irrespective of tribe, language, religion or political affiliations.
‘They must be dedicated to duty in order to change the narrative on the present worsening security situation in the country, as all eyes are on them,’ he said.
Mr Fabian Onah, Chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Nsukka, commended the President for listening to calls by many Nigerians to appoint new service chiefs for the country.
‘It has been long the Senate and House of Representative passed a series of motions urging Mr President to sack the former service chiefs and appointed new ones because of rising insecurity In the country.
‘Many Nigerians also added their voices for change of service chiefs appointed since 2015 as a way of rejigging the security architecture in the country.
‘I am happy that at last, the president has listened to the voice of Nigerians by doing the needful on Tuesday,’ he said
President Buhari had on Tuesday, Jan 26, accepted the resignations of Chief of Defence Staff General Abayomi Olonisakin, Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas, and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar as service chiefs; appointing as their replacements Major-General Leo Irabor as Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General I Attahiru as Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral AZ Gambo as Chief of Naval Staff, and Air-Vice Marshal IO Amao as Chief of Air Staff, respectively.
