On Wednesday Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai,  came under attack for blaming “inadequate commitment of troops on the front line of the insurgency war” for the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks.

Political parties, prominent groups and individuals where surprised over the statement by Buratai who said there was inadequate commitment by soldiers involved in the war against insurgents.

We recall that on Tuesday June 18, Buratai had  blamed soldiers at the frontlines for the recent setbacks in the war against Boko Haram.

 “It is unfortunate, but the truth is that almost every setback the Nigerian Army has had in our operations in recent times can be traced to insufficient willingness to perform assigned tasks or simply insufficient commitment to a common national and military course by those at the frontlines,” He had said.

But groups and individuals including the Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze, and a Second Republic politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, said President Muhammadu Buhari should sack him and all the service chiefs. They claimed his statement would not only demotivate the troops, it also showed that Buratai lacked the capacity to head the Nigerian Army.

Commenting on the issue the SERAP Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni said, “If the commander cannot vouch for the integrity and seriousness of his troops, then I think that commander should be allowed to go.”

Also, the CDHR National President, Malachy Ugwummadu, said,“I believe that Nigeria can no longer suffer under the weight of aggressive attacks. If the army chief is aware and has done very little or nothing to stop it, then it means that the conspiracy is not only in the frontlines but also in the hierarchy of the army leadership itself.”

Similarly, opposition parties including the Peoples Democratic Party, Zenith Labour Party and Coalition of United Political Parties on Wednesday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the service chiefs over renewed Boko Haram attacks, rising kidnapping and banditry as well as the general insecurity in some parts of the country.

Other individuals said, the Army Chief has lost control of his troops, there by blaming soldiers for his failure.