Buhari has breached Armed Forces Act in retaining service chiefs —Colonel Nyiam

A prominent member of the defunct National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Colonel Tony Nyiam (retd), said President Muhammadu Buhari has consistently breached the Armed Forces Act and that he ought to have changed the current service chiefs long ago.

Speaking against the backdrop of the security challenges in the nation, Nyiam, in an interview with Sunday Tribune at the weekend, contended that the Federal Government had left so many things undone with regard to the security of the country and its people.

“The change should have been done months ago. The president’s actions on this matter are unbecoming of a Commander-In-Chief of a disciplined armed forces. The president continuously breaches the Armed Forces Act. For instance, Section 09.08 of the Revised Armed Forces of Nigeria Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (HTACOS) for officers has been, specifically, breached.

“Let us, however, make it clear that changing the service chiefs would make some differences, but not the fundamental changes needed. The fundamental changes needed can only come about from constitutional reforms and the updating of the highest command of which President Buhari is in charge, so that the Nigerian higher management of the national security is in accordance to the universally acceptable standard,” he said. (See full interview on Page 24).