Buhari Sets Agenda for New Service Chiefs

Malik Yahya/

President Muhammadu Buhari today met with the newly appointed Service Chiefs. He charged them to be patriotic and to serve the country well.

A statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina quoted Buhari telling the Service Chiefs: “We’re in a state of emergency. Be patriotic, serve the country well, as your loyalty is to the country.”

The President congratulated the Service Chiefs on heading their various services, adding: “There’s nothing I can tell you about the service because you are in it. I was also in it, and I will pray for you. I also assure you that whatever I can do as Commander-in-Chief will be done, so that the people will appreciate your efforts.

“You know the stage we were in 2015, you know the stage we are now, and the undertakings we made. We promised to secure the country, revive the economy, and fight corruption. None has been easy, but we have certainly made progress.”

President Buhari also charged the Service Chiefs to be concerned about the morale of their officers and men. He said that they should be made to feel physically and professionally secure. He pledged that the government would do its best in terms of equipment and logistics.

The Service Chiefs, who were led to the meeting by the Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi (retd), are Major-General Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral AZ Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air Vice-Marshal IO Amao, Chief of Air Staff.