.Ethics Vanguard demands immediate sack of Defence Minister, plans nationwide protest
,As troops burst 21 illegal refineries in N/Delta, arrest 36 oil thieves
EMMANUEL NLEWEDUM and BLESSING OMALE, with agency reports, Abuja
A civil society group, Ethics Vanguard, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately sack Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, citing gross incompetence and worsening insecurity under his leadership.
The organisation, which promotes transparency and accountability, made the demand in a strongly worded statement issued in Abuja on Monday and signed by its Executive Director, Amina Mohammed.
According to the group, Nigeria is witnessing an unprecedented level of violence and bloodshed, with terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and communal killings surging across various regions, including Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, and even the Federal Capital Territory.
“The scale and intensity of attacks under Mohammed Badaru Abubakar’s tenure is not only frightening but unacceptable.
“From homes and farms to highways and schools, Nigerians are being butchered daily while the Defence Minister has receded into silence, bureaucracy, and irrelevance”, the statement said.
Ethics Vanguard described the minister’s appointment as a misjudgment of competence, insisting that a politician with no security background cannot effectively manage Nigeria’s complex defence challenges.
The group argued that Nigeria, effectively at war with insurgents and armed non-state actors, requires a seasoned and proactive defence strategist to coordinate the military and reinvigorate national security operations.
“It is unconscionable that at a time of existential threats, Nigeria’s Defence Minister is a politician lacking tactical acumen, operational discipline, or strategic insight.
“Mr. Badaru is clearly analogue in the face of Nigeria’s modern asymmetrical warfare challenges”, the group stated.
The civil rights group commended Hon. Solomon Maren, who represents Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency in Plateau State, for boldly speaking out against the failure of the Defence Ministry, noting that such courage is rare among public officials.
In a direct appeal to President Tinubu, the group urged the immediate replacement of Badaru with a competent and committed individual capable of reforming military operations and restoring public confidence.
“The current minister has failed to introduce any meaningful defence reforms, improve weapons procurement systems, or address the morale crisis within the armed forces,” the group said.
Ethics Vanguard further raised alarm over recent revelations in the House of Representatives that 40 military combat tanks and platforms worth trillions of naira may have ended up in the hands of Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State.
The group accused the minister of failing to ensure accountability in the military and said the incident underscores his unfitness for the role.
The group called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to initiate legislative action, including a vote of no confidence in the minister, saying the National Assembly must rise above politics and act in the national interest.
“No responsible government shields failed appointees while citizens are being slaughtered daily,” the group said.
In a further escalation of its campaign, Ethics Vanguard announced that it is currently consulting with over 120 civil society organisations across the country to organise a massive nationwide protest.
If the minister is not sacked within 14 working days, the group said coordinated demonstrations will be staged at key government locations, including the Ministry of Defence and the National Assembly.
The group also criticised the government’s silence over the killing of more than 200 people in Plateau State in recent weeks.
It condemned the minister’s failure to visit the affected areas or coordinate relief efforts, describing it as “a mark of his lack of empathy and urgency.”
“It is either President Tinubu listens to the cries of the people or confirms his administration’s complicity in shielding incompetence.
“Our patience has run out. Nigerians want results, not excuses”, the statement declared.
Ethics Vanguard vowed to sustain pressure on the federal government until a competent defence minister is appointed, one who views national security not as a political routine, but a true emergency.
Meanwhile suspected Boko Haram terrorists have launched an attack on a Nigerian Army base in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State, resulting in casualties and the capture of some soldiers.
Security and local sources who preferred anonymity, confirmed that the incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Monday, at the Forward Operation Base of the 153 Task Force Battalion.
According to our source, the troops were overpowered during the attack, leading to the loss of lives and the capture of some soldiers.
He said: “ISWAP has taken over Marte. An unspecified number of soldiers were killed, some captured, and many others fled towards Dikwa.
“They are currently at the 24 Task Force Brigade in Dikwa,” the source said.
The terrorists also reportedly burned down armored tanks and seized arms and ammunition from the base during the raid.
Marte is located 38 kilometers from Dikwa, which serves as the headquarters of the Dikwa LGA in Borno State.
A resident in Dikwa reported hearing heavy gunfire during the attack. A fighter jet from the Nigerian Air Force was seen hovering over the area but was unable to repel the terrorists.
The attack is part of a series of recent offensives by terrorists in the region. In the past few weeks, military formations in Sabon Gari, Izge, Wulgo, Buni Yadi, and other locations in Borno and Yobe States have also been targeted, leading to dislodgement without effective resistance.
Meanwhile, the military personnel are said to be making efforts to assess the full extent of the damage and recover control of the area.
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