A Second Republic lawmaker, Dr Junaid Mohammed, has berated the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for its alleged failures in the prosecution of the war on Boko Haram insurgency.
Mohammed said that the counterinsurgency operations in the North East had become a “prolonged litany of failure” because of the president’s resolve to keep service chiefs and other generals past their period of usefulness.
He said that aside contributing to the failure of the Boko Haram war, the president’s action was also breeding unprofessionalism in the armed forces.
Mohammed said, “At the beginning, there was indication that the government was serious and was sincere. But since 2015, the fight against insurgency has become a prolonged litany of failure. Everything attached has failed, as far as I am concerned. If this is to be so, it is the failure by Buhari, by the generals that is to be remembered whenever history remembers this performance in the North. Secondly, Buhari’s idea of retaining generals indefinitely, not because they are doing well but because they are not doing well is not an indication of a character or general that knows what he is talking about. As far as I am concerned, they have failed woefully and that is not what I want. I am aware that several generals are due for retirement and the present day government is still keeping them in service for only Buhari and the generals’ concern. When a person has reached the end of his productivity, you should please ask that person to go. You don’t wait until he either collapses or become a public nuisance in the service. And I know that is the case with most of the generals and most of the service chiefs. As far as I am concerned, it is not in the interest of the fight against terrorism, it is not in the interest of the country and it is not in the interest of professionalism in the armed forces. I believe that the armed forces, not only in the North, but everywhere in the country, stands to gain a lot if they are given leaders with fresh ideas and new blood. I don’t believe this country has been served any better by retaining Buratai and co. It will be better for them to go, the sooner they go, the better.”
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