Nigerians who may be excited by the replacement of Service Chiefs, especially the Chief of Army Staff, and hope to see the end of insurgency, may be disappointed on account of recent history.
The new Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Ibrahim Attahiru, would be taking over from the same army chief who removed him as commander of a military operation for failing to capture Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, “dead or alive” in 2017.
The outgone Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Tukur Buratai, had removed Attahiru as the commander leading the country’s fight against the terrorist sect and redeployed him.
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Buratai had given Attahiru a 40-day ultimatum to produce the Boko Haram leader, but Attahiru was unable to accomplish the mission.
Boko Haram attacks spiked around the time, forcing Buratai to replace him as head of Operation Lafiya Dole.
Attahiru was redeployed to head the army’s policy and planning department after spending seven months chasing Shekau without a fruitful outcome.
The new army chief joined the army 37 years ago (Regular Course 35) and hails from Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
President Buhari announced Attahiru’s appointment as the new Chief of Staff in a statement signed by his senior media adviser, Femi Adesina, on Tuesday.
According to the President, Buratai and the other Service Chiefs retired from the military after tendering their resignation to him.
The President thanked the erstwhile security chiefs for what he called their “overwhelming achievements in our efforts at bringing enduring peace to our dear country.”
The President also announced the following as the new Service Chiefs: Major-General Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao, Chief of Air Staff.
The President congratulated the new Service Chiefs and demanded their loyalty and dedication.