Why Sacking Me, Others Won’t End Boko Haram – Buratai

The Chief of Army Staff,Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, has said President Muhammadu Buhari sacking his service chiefs would not end Boko Haram.

Naija News reports that the Senate, House of Representatives and Nigerians had called on Buhari to replace his service chiefs as they have not done enough to curb insecurity in the country.

But speaking in an interview with TheCable and THISDAY/ARISE in Lagos on Tuesday, Gen. Buratai warned against pushing Buhari into sacking his security chiefs.

According to the Army general, the solution to ending killings in Nigeria was not the removal of service chiefs as Buhari “knows where it pinches” and is the right arbiter.

He said: “I am tempted not to comment on this particular issue because I am directly involved. However, I want to believe that whatever happens, the commander-in-chief is the right arbiter, and he knows where it pinches, he knows where the problems are. I think the decision should be left to him. He should not be pushed or prompted in this regard.”

Buratai said “we are into a very serious issue which should not be taken lightly”, adding: “This is why when you say a particular crop of leaders in the military should be removed for whatever reason, it sounds very odd because we are not addressing the issues. I am not saying this because I am the chief of army staff and I do not want to leave. No, that is not the issue. It is beyond that because this is a national issue, an issue of national pride and national interest. Those who would cry loudly against the service chiefs are within, and they are the ones who should be more vocal in the things that are not going right.”

The army chief also insisted that the war against insurgency has been won as the Boko Haram terrorists do not control any Nigerian territory.

Buratai said, however, that the war against terror will continue because the terrorists now feast on attacking soft targets “for the sake of propaganda”.