Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has dismissed calls for the removal of Nigeria’s Service Chiefs, describing them as baseless and driven by ulterior motives.
The calls came from the Dominic Alancha-led Northern Ethnic National Forum, which accused the Service Chiefs of lacking professional capacity despite huge budgetary allocations to the security sector.
In a statement issued Thursday in Abuja, Ndume said the allegations were unfair and warned against actions that could undermine the morale of frontline soldiers. He instead proposed a “TEAM approach” — Training, Equipment, Ammunition, and Motivation — as the best strategy to counter terrorism, banditry, and insurgency.
“It is uncharitable for any group to accuse the Service Chiefs of professional incompetence. All of them have the requisite training and experience in theatre operations. What they need is adequate ammunition and motivation,” he said.
The lawmaker also raised concerns about poor welfare for soldiers, noting that a private in the Nigerian Army earns about ₦100,000 monthly, with a daily allowance of ₦5,000, which he described as “unconscionable.”
“Those pushing for the sack of the present Service Chiefs have ulterior motives and do not mean well for the administration or Nigerians. I reiterate my call for a proactive TEAM approach. These measures would go a long way in countering insecurity across the country,” Ndume stressed.