Secure the country before rainy season, Buhari charges new Service Chiefs

President Muhammadu Buhari has charged the new service chiefs to secure the country before the beginning of rainy season.

The president stated this on Friday when he decorated the service chiefs with their new ranks.

He decorated the new Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, as a full general.

Others decorated are Ibrahim Attahiru the Chief of Army Staff as lieutenant general, Chief of Naval Staff Awwal Gambo as vice admiral and Isiaka Amao, the Chief of Air Staff, Isiaka Amao, as air marshal.

Their elevation comes about a month after they were appointed by the president and few weeks after they were confirmed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Speaking at the event, Mr Buhari asked the service chiefs to speed up their actions in freeing the country from the current state of insecurity.

Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, quoted the president as saying securing the country before the rainy season would give farmers the confidence to go back to the farm.

“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,” the president said.

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He told the service 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.”

Mr Buhari urged them to deploy their best hands in order to win the fight against insecurity.

“I have accepted responsibility for your actions in the field; it is 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 per cent, 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, Mr Irabor assured the president that they would not fail in their responsibilities as the mandate was clear.

“Nigeria will have peace again. Based on the mandate, we will address all issues, working with all other security organisations,” he said.