President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the tenure of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin as well as all the Service Chiefs.
This was disclosed in a statement by Colonel Tukur Gusau, Public Relations Officer to the Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali.
The statement said “The President and Commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, having carefully reviewed the on-going military operations across the nation and the efforts of the Chief of Defence staff and the Service chiefs in the counter insurgency operations in the North East coupled with the security situation of the Niger Delta region, has graciously approved the extension of tenure of service of General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai Chief of Army Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-EteIkwe Ibas, the Chief of Naval staff and Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, the Chief of Air staff.
Furthermore, the statement said “This extension is pursuant of the powers conferred on the President and Commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by section 218 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and section 09.06 of the Harmonised Terms and Conditions for Service for officers (2012) Revised.
“The Honourable Minister of Defence Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali therefore congratulate(s) the Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs for earning the confidence of the President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Force of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the people of Nigeria leading to their extension of service.”
Insiders told Newsdiaryonline that the president decided to embrace continuity by keeping the incumbent service chiefs as 2019 approaches.It is expected that the military chiefs led by the CDS will bring their experience to bear and continue to curb Boko Haram insurgency and all other security threats ahead of the elections and afterwards.
