TheCable

Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, says the service chiefs have not disappointed President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigeria in the discharge of their duties.

Buratai spoke when he welcomed Gabriel Olonisakin, chief of defence staff, to the Nigerian army super camp four, located in Faskari, Katsina state.

Olanisakin was on an operational visit to the camp to assess how troops in the newly formed exercise, Sahel Sanity, were faring.

Buratai said a few days after the exercise was launched, troops began tackling banditry and other criminal activities in the north-west.

He expressed appreciation to God for giving them good health to lead the armed forces.

“Exactly five years ago, I was in Ndjamena, Chad Republic, when I heard the announcement of General Olanisakin as the Chief of Defence Staff as well as my own appointment as Chief of Army Staff. We are grateful to Almighty God for giving us good health to lead the armed forces,” he said.

“It is a thing of joy to say that we are quite grateful to the president and commander-in-chief of armed forces for this honour, and assure you that we have not disappointed President Muhammadu Buhari in carrying out our responsibilities. We have not disappointed Nigerians.”

The army chief added that some logistics suppliers, as well as informants and collaborators of bandits, have been arrested.

In his remarks, Olanisakin praised Buratai for “modernising” the Nigerian army, adding that the super camp four was one of the initiatives to meet modern security challenges.

There have been repeated calls for the removal of the service chiefs owing to persistent attacks on lives and property by bandits across the country.

TheCable had reported how the service chiefs, who are overdue for retirement, have spent more than 35 years in service.

In June, Buhari told the services chiefs that their best is not good enough as regards the security challenges in the country.

The president said excuses will no longer be tolerated and that he expects them to live up to expectations going forward.