The Arewa Youth Initiative for Peace and Good Leadership has called on the newly appointed service chiefs to show patriotism and utmost integrity in the discharge of their duties.
While commending President Muhammadu Buhari for listening to the voice of the people by sacking the former service chiefs, the youth, who spoke through their President, Mohammed Rilwanu, in a press release made available to The Nation in Katsina, advised the new helmsmen to evolve new strategies to defeat Boko Haram and other groups against the oneness and peace of the country.
They said in the statement: “The new service chiefs should shun corrupt practices in the discharge of their duties; corruption gives birth to bad leadership which may lead to failure.
“They should not see their appointments as an opportunity to embezzle money but opportunity for them to leave behind a good and lasting legacy that Nigerians will be proud of and remember them for.
“They should show patriotism just as did the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
“This appointment is a showcase for them to exhibit their wisdom and secure and protect Nigerians and their properties as it’s stated clearly in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The group further urged Mr President to always respect the constitutional provisions and the principle of Federal Character.
It said: “All federal appointments should be by merit and Federal Character should always be observed as stated in the Constitution because Nigeria belongs to all the citizens.
“The continuous neglect of a core ethnic group in the appointment of service chiefs certainly calls for concern.”
The group also urged the service chiefs to deploy more troops to states such as Taraba, Adamawa, Borno, Katsina, Yobe, Niger and Kaduna.
