Defence minister charges service chiefs to step up fight against insecurity

Bashir Magashi, minister of defence, has charged service chiefs and heads of security agencies “to raise the bar of patriotic service to the nation”.

According to Mohammad Abdulkadir, media aide of the minister, Magashi spoke during an occasion to mark his one year in office.

Abdulkadir said the minister expressed commitment to building a “robust defence sector that will usher in sustainable peace and security in the country”.

“General Magashi was emphatic in his resolve to continue to sustain the momentum of what he called the irrevocable task of building a robust Defence Sector that will usher in sustainable peace and security in the country,” Abdulkadir said in the statement.

“He paid glowing obeisance to the President Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari and thanked him for the opportunity given to him to serve the nation as Minister of Defence. He considers his task as work in progress in the delivery of his mandate in the years ahead.

“Attesting to the unabated support of Mr President for the Armed Forces to enable them end insurgency and banditry in the country, he expressed optimism that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“He enjoined the Service Chiefs and heads of other security agencies to continue to raise the bar of patriotic service to the nation, emphasing that security is a collective responsibility of all Nigerians.

“He thanked Members of the Nigerian Armed Forces and stakeholders in the national security callings for being parts of the success story of his 365 days in office.”

Although Buhari has refused the pressure to fire service chiefs, the president has told them on different occasions that their best is not good enough.