The former Chief Of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, has attributed the creation of insecurity in Nigeria to political class.
Buratai stated this while sharing his experience in a lecture titled “Public Service and the Imperatives for National Security in Nigeria” at the second stanza 2023 National Public Service Lecture and the 65th anniversary of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association on Friday.
He said the call for his sack while he was in office over insecurity, stemmed from personal biases rather than an objective evaluation of his performance.
“These individuals might have held negative opinions of General Buratai based on subjective factors, such as personal biases unrelated to his actual capabilities. It is crucial to approach discussions regarding national security matters with a fair and impartial mindset, focusing on relevant aspects rather than personal biases and idiosyncrasies.
“The National Assembly had more than twice passed resolutions calling for the sack of the service chiefs. The President, Muhammadu Buhari had told the ninth National Assembly to mind their business. If properly interpreted, the call by the ninth National Assembly was to derail the democracy by the military.
“This should be a lesson for political actors. It was a direct confrontation blaming the service chiefs as if they are the ones who started insecurity. the insecurity being faced in the country since 2009 was the creation of the political class. With a strong political will, it can be surmounted.”
While advising politicians and the public servants to live above board by eschewing corruption, he said it had plagued the nation’s political sphere for decades, eroding citizens trust and hindering development.
“Politicians often make lofty promises during election campaigns but fail to deliver once in power. The lack of accountability erodes public confidence and perpetuates the perception that politicians are more interested in the people,” Buratai added.
