The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has demanded the immediate sacking of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the nation’s other security chiefs, saying many of them were long past retirement age.
The group also demanded that the appointment of their successors reflects federal character.
YCE alleged that the recent statement by former Defence Minister, TY Danjuma about the bias in the military was enough reason to sack the security chiefs under whom armed herdsmen have continued to kill innocent Nigerians especially in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states.
The group stated these in a communiqué issued after an expanded National Executive meeting in honour of its deceased President, Chief Idowu Sofola (SAN) in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday.
Sofola died at 84 last Friday.
“The Yoruba Council of Elders calls on Mr. President to relieve the present security chiefs , some of whom are already overdue for retirement of their position and immediately reconfigure the security architecture of the country to reflect the federal character clause in our constitution .
“ Most Nigerians have lost confidence in the security chiefs especially the Inspector -General of Police, Ibrahim Idris , whom the President has publicly acknowledged as disobeying his instructions .
“ The President must shed the toga of Baba go- slow and act promptly on this matter to once again inspire the confidence of Nigerians in his administration .
“A military which publicly claimed to be neutral where the law of the land is being violated and innocent citizens are mindlessly murdered by armed herdsmen is definitely partisan and can no longer be trusted to protect all Nigerians,” the communiqué signed by YCE Secretary- General , Dr . Kunle Olajide and the chairman of the Ekiti Council of Elders , Prof. J. O . Oluwasanmi, read in part.
The elders also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare the killer herdsmen as terrorists and suspend granting of amnesty to Boko Haram members.