Why Buhari sacked Buratai, Olonisakin, others – Presidency

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, has explained why President Muhammadu Buhari showed the service chiefs exit door on Tuesday.

Buhari had on Tuesday fired the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, and appointed new their replacements.

He also appointed the following person as the new Service Chiefs; Major-General Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao, Chief of Air Staff.

Reacting, Adesina said Buahri felt it was the best time to rejig the security system in the country with the appointment of new service chiefs.

Adesina who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, said this in reaction to comments that the replacement of the service chiefs may have come following various calls by Nigerians for the sack of the former officers.

He said, “the President knew the time to do it and I believe the time has come and that is why it has been done”.

“I don’t think it is a matter of right or wrong,” Adesina said when asked to clarify the situation, adding: “it is just a matter of doing what is best for the country at the best time”.

“It will not be right to say one side was right or one side was wrong because the President even in the statement we issued, also commended the outgoing service chiefs for their contribution to engendering a safer country.

“That shows that by and large, he was satisfied with their performances and he just felt it was time to rejig the system; have fresh energy, have fresh blood, have fresh ideas.”