Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olabode George, has disagreed with recent calls by Enoch Adeboye for Nigeria’s service chiefs to resign if they fail to end terrorism within a set period.
George argued that such demands should be directed at President Bola Tinubu, who serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and has the constitutional responsibility of overseeing the nation’s security structure.
Speaking on Friday, the elder statesman maintained that the responsibility for security ultimately rests with the president, not the service chiefs appointed to carry out his directives.
According to him, “Nobody is saying Pastor Adeboye should command the Commander-in-Chief. No. That is not even possible. But that advice should be directed at the President, not Service Chiefs. He is the one who should do everything to ensure that Nigerians are safe.”
To explain his position, George compared the situation to a newsroom structure, where accountability lies with the overall leader rather than subordinate officials.
“It is like someone from outside the newsroom advising line editors to ensure that the newspaper gets exclusive stories on page 1 or they should resign within 90 days. That is not the work of an outsider. That is the work of the Daily Editor. If there are no stories to sell the newspaper and the editor is not man enough to whip the line editors into line, it is the editor who will be thrown into the labour market. Simple.
“Tinubu appointed the Service Chiefs. If they are not working, he has the power to give them ultimatum or fire them.
“The president should be held accountable for results in the fight against terrorism.”
George, a retired military officer, expressed frustration over the current security challenges facing the country, describing the situation as unacceptable.
“I am talking as a combatant and a retired General. What is going on does not make any sense at all. It is arrant nonsense, absolute lunacy.
“The most important issue in the country today is how to eliminate these blood-thirsty maniacs, and that is the job of the Commander-in-Chief. How he perfects that by directing the Service Chiefs on what to do rests with him.”
He also criticised what he sees as a growing focus on politics while insecurity continues to affect communities across the country.
“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 come out to vote in 2027?
“No respect for humanity anymore. From North to South, East to West, Nigerians are being abducted and killed. Look at the way Adebayo Adelabu’s sister and her twin sons were abducted in broad day light in the heart of Ibadan. We all watched the video. A former Army spokesman and his wife were abducted 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 there be a country in 2027?”
The PDP chieftain further urged the president to convene a high-level meeting involving retired military leaders, intelligence experts, and serving security officials to develop a more effective strategy against terrorism, banditry, and other violent crimes.
“Service Chiefs and top serving security officers should also attend the meeting. With intelligence gathering mechanism, right weapons and equipment, to deal with these characters should not be more than 60 days.
“The demand for a maximum review 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 call from Nigerians. Enough of rhetorics from those in government.
“The growing concern that not enough has been done to secure Nigerians is a reality that cannot be ignored. And that is the responsibility of the Commander-in-Chief because the prolonged captivity of innocent Nigerians diminishes us as a people,” he stated.
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