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Former National Vice President of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has told the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, to address his advice on how to end terrorism in Nigeria to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Tinubu, and not to service chiefs.
For Atona Oodua of Yorubaland, it is wrong for a respected cleric to advise service chiefs to end insecurity in 90 days or resign.
For the octogenarian politician, retired commodore and former military governor of Old Ondo State (1987-1990), the responsibility lies with Tinubu, not the service chiefs.
Adeboye had urged the Federal Government to give security chiefs a 90-day ultimatum to eliminate terrorists or resign from office.
He made the call in a video shared on his X channel on Tuesday, expressing concern over the worsening security situation in the country.
“No one is saying that Pastor Adeboye should command the commander in chief. No. That is not even possible. But that advice should be directed to the president, not the service chiefs. He is the one who should do everything to ensure that Nigerians are safe.”
“It’s as if someone from outside the newsroom advised editors to make sure the paper gets exclusive front-page stories or they would have to resign within 90 days. This is not the job of an outsider. This is the job of the Daily Editor. If there are no stories to sell the paper and the editor isn’t man enough to get the editors back in line, it will be the publisher who will be thrown into the job market. Simple.”
“Tinubu has appointed the service chiefs. If they don’t work, he has the power to give them an ultimatum or fire them.
The president should be held accountable for the results in the fight against terrorism.
“I speak as a fighter and as a retired general. What is happening makes no sense. It is absolute nonsense, absolute madness.
“The most important issue in the country today is how to eliminate these bloodthirsty maniacs and that is the task of the commander in chief. How he refines it by directing the service chiefs on what to do is up to him.
“The political leadership has relegated security issues to the background. They are only interested in primaries and politics. If the country is on fire, who will vote in 2027?
“No respect for humanity anymore. From north to south, from east to west, Nigerians are being kidnapped and killed. Look at the way Adebayo Adelabu’s sister and her twins were kidnapped in broad daylight in the heart of Ibadan. We all watched the video. A former army spokesperson and his wife were kidnapped last week. Students, pupils and teachers are still in the forest as if we are back in the stone age. I feel embarrassed as a retired general. Will will be there a country in 2027?”
George advised Tinubu to convene a meeting of retired security chiefs and intelligence experts on the way forward.
“Service chiefs and senior security officials on duty should also attend the meeting. With the right intelligence gathering mechanism, weapons and equipment, dealing with these individuals should not take more than 60 days.
“The call for a major overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture, intelligence gathering, stronger inter-agency cooperation, operational effectiveness and greater accountability in the fight against terrorism, banditry and violent crimes, should be our priority now. All patriotic Nigerians and opinion leaders must lend their voices to this wake-up call.
“Tinubu must also listen to this urgent appeal from Nigerians. Enough with the government rhetoric.
“The growing concern that not enough is being done to protect Nigerians is a reality that cannot be ignored. And this is the responsibility of the commander in chief because the prolonged imprisonment of innocent Nigerians diminishes us as a people.
“For millions of Nigerians, every day is filled with anxiety, worry, fear, uncertainty and emotional trauma. With the surge in banditry across the country, Nigerians want decisive action from those in authority.
“Under our Constitution, the safety of life and property remains the primary responsibility of government.
“As a combatant and retired general, I know that non-state actors cannot be more powerful than the government. When these bloodthirsty madmen kidnap a Nigerian, the government’s response must be ferocious, swift, swift, decisive, brutal, ruthless and incontrovertible. If that is the only language they understand, so be it.
“I do not speak as a typical politician, but as a responsible father, grandfather, husband and family man. My approach is humanitarian, compassionate and welfarist. Nigerians cannot continue like this and it is not enough for the government to point the finger of blame at those perceived to be against the re-election of the president in 2027. “Anyone who supports and finances terrorism should be forced to face the music decisively, within the confines of the law.
“The lives of victims and their families matter. The lives of security agents matter. The life of an average Nigerian matters. Nigeria is not the only country globally.
Enough of this embarrassment.
Oh, damn!’
