Buhari Extends Tenure of Service Chiefs

Ranti Kayode/

The tenure of Nigerian military chiefs have been extended by the President today.

The beneficiaries of President Muhammadu Buhari’s extension order are the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin.

According to a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer to the Minister of Defence, Col. Tukur Gusau, the extension was approved by the President following a review of all the ongoing military operations across the country.

Gusau stated, “President Muhammadu Buhari, having carefully reviewed the ongoing military operations across the nation and the efforts of the Chief of Defence Staff and the service chiefs in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the northeast coupled with the security operation in the Niger Delta region, has graciously approved the extension of the tenure of the service chiefs.

“The approval is in pursuant of the powers conferred on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by section 218 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 09.06 of the harmonized terms and conditions of service for officers (2012) revised.’’

The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, has congratulated the service chiefs for earning the confidence of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic and the people of Nigeria.

President Buhari appointed the service chiefs in July 2015.