President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday told the nation’s new service chiefs that they have only a few weeks to secure the country.
Buhari while decorating them at a ceremony held in the State House, Abuja said he expected that before the rainy season, they would have secured the country to the level that farmers who had fled their farms in different parts of Nigeria would have developed enough confidence to return to their farms.
“During our four-hour security meeting, on Tuesday, I had taken the responsibility as Commander-in-Chief for you to go out into the field and secure the country.
“You have got a few weeks to do that because, by the rainy season, we expect people to develop confidence and go back to the land so that we don’t get into trouble by being away from the field and therefore unable to produce enough food for the nation,” President Buhari said.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina in a statement announcing Buhari’s order to the Service Chiefs added that the President asked the chiefs to see their appointment, clearance, and decoration as a vote of confidence on them.
“For those (of you) that have been confirmed by this ceremony, the decoration, in front of your spouses, is a further confidence loudly expressed on you on behalf of the nation, to respond to the insecurity the country is in, and the nation looks up to you for rapid relief,” President Buhari said.
He assured them of his firm support as they deliver on their responsibilities.
“I have accepted responsibility for your actions in the field; it’s up to you to identify your competent officers irrespective of seniority and paper qualification and deploy them to make sure that we secure this country.
“We all look forward to you to perform and I as the Commander-in-Chief, I am backing you hundred percent, and I expect you to effectively deploy your officers and men to secure the country,” the President said.
Responding on behalf of the other service chiefs, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor assured the President that they will not fail in their responsibilities as the mandate is clear.
“Nigeria will have peace again. Based on the mandate, we will address all issues, working with all other security organisations,” he said.
Others that were decorated are Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru as Chief of Army Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo as Chief of Naval Staff, and Air Marshal Isiaka Amao as Chief of Air Staff.
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