Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), says the clamour for the sacking of service chiefs is ‘out of place’.

According to Shehu, the president has the prerogative to appoint or sack any of the country’s service chiefs, adding that the president keeps the service chiefs as long as he is satisfied with their performance.

The PUNCH had earlier reported that the horrific killing of at least 43 rice farmers at Zabarmari in the Jere Local Government Area of Borno State last Saturday sparked fresh call for the sacking of the country’s service chiefs.

Reacting to the call by several Nigerians who also want the president to rejig the country’s security architecture, Shehu said the decision to sack or retain any of the service chiefs is entirely the president’s.

He spoke on Monday night in an interview with Arise TV monitored by The PUNCH.

The presidential spokesman said, “I am not aware that the tenure of service chiefs is subjected to any law or regulation that is clearly stated. They serve at the pleasure of the president and (if) the president is satisfied with their performance, he keeps them. The buck stops on his table —with due respect to the feelings of Nigerians.

“The clamour for the sack is out of place considering that the president is not subject to the opinion of opposition political party which has clamoured for this all the time. It is entirely his own determination; he decides who he keeps as his service chiefs and for how long.”

Boko Haram were reported to have first tied up the farmers, who were working in rice fields, before slitting their throats.

Shehu had said the farmers had no military clearance to be on the rice farms when the attack happened.

His reaction was greeted by outrage on social media as many Nigerians lambasted him for blaming the dead.

Explaining further last night, Shehu said, “My suggestion in the earlier news report is that the military had not certified those areas as being free of landmines and terrorists’ intrusions. Whether there are processes for getting licences or commissions, it is not for me, the military is in a better position to describe those processes."



Kayode Oyero

punchng.com

This Garba is the most clueless aide under Buhari.

I blame the NASS.

I am suspecting this man...

my only happiness is that the Boko Haram issue is only happening in the north where those bunch of idiot's are coming from, very soon, their immediate families will dance to the drum they have been beating

meaning the president is happy with what is happening

They should be sacked period

yemmight:
This Garba is the most clueless aide under Buhari.

He is an image of buhari.

dawnomike:
I am suspecting this man...

Me too

humblegirl:
meaning the president is happy with what is happening

Before nkor

Jagznation:
They should be sacked period

Should be sacked?/ You wan make dem reveal wetin de for Aso Rock as your President. Can of worms.

What is wrong with all these presidential aides who always insult the sensibility of sane Nigerians with utter impunity? This is a more good reason why the president ought to be addressing this nation himself to save Nigeria insults from these grossly stupid & irresponsible image makers around him.

The presidential spokesman said, “I am not aware that the tenure of service chiefs is subjected to any law or regulation that is clearly stated. They serve at the pleasure of the president and (if) the president is satisfied with their performance, he keeps them. The buck stops on his table —with due respect to the feelings of Nigerians.

“The clamour for the sack is out of place considering that the president is not subject to the opinion of opposition political party which has clamoured for this all the time. It is entirely his own determination; he decides who he keeps as his service chiefs and for how long.”

Nigerians clamouring for a president who failed woefully to provide adequate security of lives & property to sack his service chiefs is now "out of place"?

So even the rubberstamp NASS, relevant stakeholders in the north and Nigerians that have been clamouring for the dullard to reinvigorate the security architecture of this nation are all members of the "opposition political party"? It sucks to stay around Buhari.His cluelessness and incompetence are really contagious.

So if they are not performing up to expectations, why retaining them?

Burstit:
Should be sacked?/ You wan make dem reveal wetin de for Aso Rock as your President. Can of worms.

Fixed!!

As far as Buhari is concerned.

He is doing a very good job.

There is no poverty

There is no insecurity

He has given security agencies everything they need to secure Nigeria and they are doing it.

That's the summary of what Shehu said after blaming the rice farmers that died.

PROJECT NIGERIA has failed.

Buhari I knew is not in charge of this country

Because Buhari likes fetching water with baskets.

Buhari is the worst prez of all time

Can this man listen to himself. So Buhari is pleased with the job of the service chiefs. God will judge them. The wrath of God will visit them. The bleeding blood of those farmers will be on thier head. The only thing they think about is the opposition party and 2023 elections.

Buhari can easily travel to Ebonyi state to celebrate and congratulate umahi for joining APC. To him, he has provided the necessary funds for military in borno so they can go Bleep themselves. I remember the 2015 election. How children from this state came out to vote him

So what Garba is saying is that, Buhari is satisfied with Buratai's performance so far

Mehn......we are in for a long run.

garba Shehu I don't blame u but that robot in aso rock that can not tell us wat he knows for him to hv not sack d fail service chiefs since

until boko boys wipe the full north out abi if e likes let him keep them till 2023 my only happiness is dat na D North dy fill the pain

Buhari is holding nigerians to ransom by keeping the service chiefs despite public outcry