Fire the service chiefs immediately, Senate tells Buhari

The Senate has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the service chiefs over the spate of insecurity in Nigeria.

The Senate call came after House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila tried to shield Buhari from being summoned by the House of Representatives.

The Senate decision, which is the third it would pass this year, followed a motion by Senator Kashim Shettima on the recent killing of 43 rice farmers in Borno State by the Boko Haram insurgents. The UN put the death toll at 110.

The Senate asked Buhari to replace the security chiefs with new ones “immediately”.

The red chamber also asked Buhari to restructure and remodel the nation’s security architecture.

Apart from that, the chamber demanded a probe into the allegations of corruption and financial leakage levelled against some top hierarchy of the military.

The Senate asked Buhari to aggressively negotiate with the nation’s neighbouring countries for multinational cooperation in order to strengthen the war against insurgency.

It directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, NEMA and NEDC to provide succour and psychological support for the families of the victims.

It also sought proper welfare for soldiers at the war front and proper resettlement and support for the families of the fallen soldiers.

It urged the federal and state governments to address issues fueling insecurity.

It similarly called for massive recruitment into the military and the police force.