President Goodluck Jonathan has told the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff and other Service Chiefs that the war against terror must be won by his administration.
The President spoke on Wednesday after he decorated the military chiefs with their new ranks in Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
Their appointment into the various positions had earlier been confirmed by the Senate.
Those decorated with the new ranks include the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh who was decorated with the new rank of Air Chief Marshal, the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. General Keneth Minimah, who was decorated with the rank of a Lieutenant General and Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin, the Chief of Naval Staff now promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral. Also, Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amosu is now an Air Marshal.
The wives of the military chiefs and Vice President Namadi Sambo helped in the decoration of the military chiefs which was witnessed by members of the Federal Executive Council and top government officials.
Speaking after the decoration, the President said he is torn between congratulating the CDS and the other Service Chiefs because of the circumstances of the country at the moment.
The President said Nigerians are tired of hearing long speeches. Making allusions to the Boko Haram insurgency that has. grounded socio-economic activities in Borno State and other parts of North East Nigeria, the President told the new military commanders that “none of us can sleep until Nigerians in Borno State can sleep well. That is why I said today is not a moment for making statements.
“We have been having frank talks from time to time, but definitely Nigerians will tell you what they expect from us. We must not fail this country. But I believe this team will work together to be assisted by other intelligence services and the war against terror must be won by this administration.”
The President who added that he is sure that the new military chiefs are the best for Nigeria because of his experience of working with some of them, urge the new appointees not to disappoint Nigerians.
While responding of behalf of his colleagues, Air Chief Badeh thanked the President for giving him and his colleagues the honour of being the first set of Nigerian military chiefs to be confirmed by the National Assembly.
He therefore on behalf of his colleagues pledged allegiance to the President and the Nigerian people.
Badeh added that the military is poised more than ever before to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria and asked for more assistance to increase the capability of the Nigeria Armed Forces in terms of funding and provision of equipment.
The Air Chief who noted that the security challenges facing Nigeria include the Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping and oil theft, asked Nigerians to be prepared to make sacrifices for the funding of the military “because when a nation’s military is at war, the nation itself is at war.”
He added that security challenges in the North East are surmontable, but Nigerians must be prepared to make sacrifices.
He also pledged that the military will do everything possible to ensure normalcy returns to the North East part of the country ahead of the 2015 general elections.
This, he said was to ensure that elections hold in North East in the 2015 general elections.
The COD said the military will continue to work to maintain the territorial integrity of the country.
(via PM News)
