Borno massacre: Buhari told to replace service chiefs

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Lagos State has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to rejig the national security architecture and replace the service chiefs with more capable hands to effectively tackle the country’s security challenges.

The SDP said this while condemning the gruesome killing of some rice farmers by suspected Boko Haram members in Zabarmari, Borno State, describing the act as ‘extremely wicked’.

The party, in a statement issued by the State Party Chairman, Mr Femi Olaniyi and made available to NAN on Monday, said that the act must not be left unaddressed.

Olaniyi said that the party was seriously pained by the ‘horrific killing’ of the compatriots.

He also said that the party was distressed by the continued killing and maiming of innocent Nigerians by insurgents and bandits.

Olaniyi said that SDP was particularly disturbed by what he called the government’s failure to take decisive action against the insurgents in spite of a series of concerns raised by the Borno Governor, Babagana Zulum, over security compromises in the state.

This, according to Olaniyi, has continued to embolden the insurgents to the extent that they now attack military formations, convoys of state governors and innocent citizens.

He advised President Muhammadu Buhari to rejig the national security architecture and replace the service chiefs with more capable hands to effectively tackle the country’s security challenges.

The party chairman also advised the president to take more actions that would safeguard the lives of Nigerians.

“Mr President should immediately move to Zabarmari in Borno to empathise with the families of the victims and lead from the front to restore security in the area,” he said.

Olaniyi expressed the party’s condolences to the government and people of Borno over the unfortunate incident.

He urged Nigerians to remain at alert and provide useful information for the security agencies in the fight against insurgency in the country.