Former Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Buratai, of president Buhari administration has said the insecurity facing the country is a creation of the political class. Buratai stated this yesterday when he was sharing his experience while delivering a lecture titled “Public Service and the Imperatives for National Security in Nigeria” at the second stanza of 2023 National Public Service Lecture and the 65th anniversary of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association.
The former Army General took a blow at critics calling for his sack over insecurity in the country while he was still serving, describing such selfishness from personal biases rather than an objective evaluation of his overall performance in the Nigerian security chief.
According to Buratai, “These individuals might have held negative opinions of General Buratai based on subjective factors, such as personal preferences or 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.
He recalled, “The National Assembly had twice or more 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.”
Buratai call on political class, public servant as well as civil servants to live above board though eschewing corrupt practices which he said has plagued the country political space for decades now which have eroded public trust and stunting development.
He called on the general public to hold politicians accountable while politicians should be transparent in their public activities.
The former Army boss added, “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,”
Meanwhile, Chairman of the occasion, Mike Okiro, former Inspector General of Police represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police, (Operations) Oyo State Command, Adejobi Akinade, called on the general public to be supportive of the policing of the country in tackling insecurity challenges in the country.
Earlier in his welcome address, President of the Alumni Association, University of Ibadan Worldwide, Prof. Saawua Gabriel Nyityo, said the lecture was aimed at highlighting the roles of public service in ensuring national security.
