President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, 26, January 2021, eventually heeded the outcries of all and sundry to sack Nigeria’s service chiefs under the leadership of General Tukur Buratai.
The sacked army chiefs involved are 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.
But Buhari did not only sacked the service chiefs, they were replaced immediately with another set of service chiefs, to be lead by General Ibrahim Attahiru.
“The new Service Chiefs are 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.
BREAKING: Buhari Bows To Pressure Replaces Service Chiefs
However, a close look at General Ibrahim Attahiru military credentials and antecedent revealed that he had been sacked by Tukur Buratai in 2017 for Incompetence when he failed to defeat Boko Haram within 40 days ultimatum given to him by Buratai.
Thus, failure to deliver the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau dead or alive within 40 days in 2017, Attahiru was redeployed.
How ironic it is to now bring the same person who was redeployed for Incompetence three years ago to head the same troops and same assignment in which he was accused of Incompetence and removed.
Question begging for an answer is to know what is new in Attahiru’s strategy or military formation to help him defeat the terrorists he could not conquer three years ago?
In 2017, the BBC reported: “The Nigeria’s military sacked the commander leading the fight against militant Islamist group Boko Haram.
“His redeployment to an unspecified post follows a string of attacks by the insurgents, including the killing of at least 50 people in a mosque last month.
“No official reason was given for Maj Gen Ibrahim Attahiru’s removal.
“Army chief Gen Tukur Buratai gave him a deadline in July to deliver Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau dead or alive within 40 days.
“At least 20,000 people have been killed and thousands more abducted since Boko Haram launched its insurgency in north-eastern Nigeria in 2009.
“President Muhammadu Buhari took office in May 2015 with a pledge to beat back the militants.
“About seven months later, he declared that Boko Haram had been “technically defeated” after the army recaptured most territory that had fallen to it.
“However, Boko Haram has continued carrying out bomb and gun attacks in the north-east.
“In July, more than 40 people died during a military operation to free people who had been ambushed in a convoy by the militants.
“The dead included soldiers and an oil exploration team.
“Maj Gen Attahiru Ibrahim was appointed to lead the offensive against Boko Haram in the north-east in May this year.
“He has been replaced with another general, Nicholas Rogers, who led a special military and police force to tackle ethnic clashes in the volatile central region.”
