Nigeria News Today: Northern Bridge Builders Urge Tinubu to Retain Service Chiefs — The Bureau News

By Suleiman Ahmad | Kano | The Bureau News

The Northern Nigerian Bridge Builders Association (NNBBA) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to disregard calls for the removal of the current Service Chiefs, describing such demands as politically motivated, ill-timed, and counterproductive to ongoing security operations.

Calls for Removal Described as Politically Motivated

Speaking at a press conference held at the NUJ Secretariat on Thursday, Convener Comrade Goodheart Archie said collaborative intelligence gathering and improved community engagement were already showing positive results in conflict-prone areas. He argued that changing the Service Chiefs at this time would be an “untimely substitution.”

Archie dismissed calls made by activist Dominic Alancha, saying:

“Mr. Alancha is a featherweight activist with no serious ties to security realities on the ground. His views do not reflect the position of the North, particularly states and communities directly affected by insecurity.”

Service Chiefs Commended for Results (Nigeria News Today)

The group highlighted recent accolades for the Service Chiefs, citing instances such as:

• Zamfara Governor Dauda Kawai’s remarks that banditry could be defeated if governors had direct authority over security forces, followed by decisive orders from the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Chris Musa, to intensify military actions.

• Endorsements from respected voices like Islamic cleric Malam Muhammad Sharif Zaria and Senator Mohammed Ndume, who described calls for their removal as “outlandish and uncharitable.”

• Cultural figures also weighed in. Popular artist Zaky Azzay praised Gen. Musa as “humble, able, and dangerously intelligent” at the launch of his book Taking a Stand Against Insurgency, Terrorism and Banditry in Nigeria.

Warning Against Political Schemes

The NNBBA cautioned that demands for dismissals may be linked to what Archie described as the “New Kaduna Mafia”, allegedly scheming to gain influence ahead of the 2027 elections.

“As concerned Northerners, we say no to any form of evil machinations against the Service Chiefs, the CDS, the region, and Nigeria at large. Enough is enough,” Archie declared.

Ongoing Military Progress

The group also noted that as of September 2025, the Nigerian Army had intensified nationwide crackdowns, seizing arms and ammunition across multiple geopolitical zones. They argued that replacing the Service Chiefs could demoralize troops who continue to risk their lives daily.

Gratitude to President Tinubu

In conclusion, the association thanked President Tinubu for “due diligence and patriotic gesture” in appointing the current military leadership, describing them as the “perfect match for Nigeria’s security challenges.”