‘Be patriotic, serve Nigeria well,’ Buhari charges new service chiefs

President Muhammad Buhari on Wednesday charged the new service chiefs to be patriotic and serve the country well.

The president, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, made the call when he met the new service chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

President Buhari had on Tuesday appointed the quartet of Major-Gen. Leo Irabor (Chief of Defence Staff), Major-Gen. I. Attahiru (Chief of Army Staff), Rear Admiral A.Z. Gambo (Chief of Naval Staff) and Air-Vice Marshal I.O. Amao (Chief of Air Staff) to replace the former military heads who had since retired from service.

He congratulated the new service chiefs on their appointments.

The president said: “We’re in a state of emergency. Be patriotic, serve the country well, as your loyalty is to the country.

READ ALSO: Service Chiefs bow to pressure, resign; Buhari names replacements

“There’s nothing I can tell you about the service, because you are in it. I was also in it, and I will pray for you. I also assure you that whatever I can do as Commander-in-Chief will be done, so that the people will appreciate your efforts.

“You know the stage we were in 2015, you know the stage we are now, and the undertakings we made. We promised to secure the country, revive the economy, and fight corruption. None has been easy, but we have certainly made progress.”

Buhari also charged the service chiefs to be concerned about the morale of their officers and men, saying they should be made to feel physically and professionally secure.

He assured the service chiefs that the government would do its best in terms of equipment and logistics.

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