Group Berates Senate Over Call For Resignation Of Service Chiefs

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) has tackled the Senate over its call that service chiefs should step down.

CATE National Coordinator, Gabriel Onoja, who stated this in a statement, said the group was disappointed with such the call.

The upper chambers on Tuesday, during plenary, asked the service chiefs to step aside as the nation continues to grapple with security challenges.

The senate’s call followed a motion moved by Senator Ali Ndume, against the backdrop of the recent ambush of soldiers in Katsina and the alleged voluntary resignation of many soldiers.

Ndume had said the development and others were worrying.

But Onoja said the Red Chamber goofed having relied on Senator Ndume who “was once accused of sponsoring Boko Haram.”

He said the senate had, by this act, thrown its weight behind terrorists, bandits, criminals and their sponsors, forsaking the troops on the frontlines. 

According to the group’s National Coordinator, instead of politicking, he expected the upper house to craft anti-terrorism legislation that had been sorely needed to defeat terrorism. 

He advised the lawmakers to resign for failing the Armed Forces and the nation through “delayed budget consideration and approval.”

He also affirmed his centre’s total support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to disregard the Senate’s drama, showing faith in the service chiefs.