There was jubilation in some military barracks across the country, when the news of the sacking of the former service chiefs filtered in on Tuesday and the announcement of their replacements.
A 20-second video captured the moment some personnel of the Nigerian Navy in their barracks believed to be in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, screamed and danced over the development.
Sources told newsmen that there was also jubilation in some army barracks across the country over the announcement.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday appointed new service chiefs and finally fired the Chief of Defence Chief, General Abayomi Olonisakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, after the four had spent five years and five months in office.
Although Buhari said on Tuesday that he accepted their resignation letters, the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, already clarified in the past that the military chiefs could not resign and had to be laid off by the Commander-In-Chief.
In a State House press release on Tuesday, Buhari’s Special Adviser, Femi Adesina, said the new service chiefs were Major-General Leo Irabor as the CDS, Major-General Ibrahim Attahiru as the army chief, Rear Admiral A. Z. Gambo as the naval chief and Air-Vice Marshal I. O. Amao as the new air chief.
Reports gathered that officers and men of the Armed Forces across the country received news of the ex-military heads’ departure with joy.
“People dey happy say they don change CNS o,” one of the navy personnel said in the video.
“Who will not be happy that they were replaced? It was long overdue, they had become principalities and they had stagnated the career progression. I don’t think they resigned. They were fired.
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