Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari fired the chiefs of the country’s armed forces that he appointed when he first took office in 2015.
In a surprise move, he also tweeted the names of his replacements.
No reason was given for the resignations of the heads of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Chief of Defense Staff.
This happens as Nigeria continues to fight widespread insecurity, including Boko Haram’s long-standing insurgency and rampant kidnappings.
There were calls, mainly from the country’s powerful governors and the National Assembly, for the president to replace the heads of service, as many considered his performance to be poor.
Mr. Buhari, a former army general, was elected in 2015 with a promise to end the insurgency in northeastern Nigeria.
However, Boko Haram continues to carry out attacks, despite the government saying on several occasions that Islamic militants have been defeated.
Other Islamic militant groups operating in the region have also become more daring.
Under Buhari’s leadership, clashes between farmers and cattle ranchers in the central region of the country have also worsened and kidnapping gangs in the northwest operate almost freely.
‘Very late’
Review by BBC’s Ishaq Khalid
The military chiefs who stepped down served for about five years – making their term the longest since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999.
They were initially praised for the way they dealt with the militant group Boko Haram and its dissident faction Iswap.
In 2015, militants controlled large areas of the territory and there were frequent suicide attacks. This is no longer the case, however, insurgents continue to carry out attacks on military and civilian targets – mainly ambushes.
Security chiefs have also faced much criticism for the dramatic increase in criminal gangs who kidnap for ransom. In December, more than 300 boys were taken from a school in the north before being released after negotiations with the kidnappers.
Nigerians, who see this measure as backward, hope that the new security chiefs will work to make the country safer, but analysts say more needs to be done to provide the military with adequate equipment and funding, as well as looking after the well-being. troops, before any tangible change is seen.
Who enters, who leaves?
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Chief of Defense Staff: Gen Abayomi Olonisakin replaced by Major-General Leo Irabor
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Army: Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai replaced by Maj-Gen I Attahiru
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Navy: Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas replaced by Rear Admiral AZ Gambo
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Air force: Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar replaced by Air Vice Marshal IO Amao
The presidential spokesman tweeted photos of the new bosses:
Meet the newly appointed service heads.
Table 1: Main generation. Leo Irabor, Chief of Defense Staff
Table 2: Main generation. I. Attahiru, Army Chief of Staff
Table 3: Rear Admiral AZ Gambo, Chief of the Naval Staff
Box 4: Deputy Marshal IO Amao, Chief of Staff of the Air Force. pic.twitter.com/TGl4GbUTDF
– Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) January 26, 2021