The lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, has advised President Bola Tinubu against listening to calls for the removal of Nigeria’s service chiefs, citing their adequate training and experience in handling security operations.
In a statement on Thursday, Ndume recommended a proactive ‘TEAM approach’ — focusing on Training, Equipment, Ammunition, and Motivation —to enable the Armed Forces to effectively counter terrorism, banditry, and insurgency.
DAILY POST reports that the call for the removal of the service chiefs came from the Dominic Alancha-led Northern Ethnic National Forum, which accused them of lacking professional capacity despite significant funding. Ndume dismissed these claims as unfounded and driven by ulterior motives.
While highlighting concerns over low morale among soldiers, Ndume noted that a private in the army earns about N100,000 per month, with a daily allowance of N5,000, which he described as inadequate.
The longest serving senator urged the government to prioritize the welfare of soldiers, emphasizing that the current compensation is insufficient.
“Those pushing for the sack of the present Service Chiefs have ulterior motives and do not mean well for the administration or Nigerians. I reiterate my call for a proactive TEAM approach—Training, Equipment, Ammunition, and Motivation. These measures would go a long way in countering terrorism, banditry, and insurgency.
“It is uncharitable for any group to accuse the Service Chiefs of professional incompetence. All of them have the requisite training and experience in theatre operations. What they need is adequate ammunition and motivation,” he said.
