A member of the House of Representatives representing Lagos Mainland federal constituency, Hon. AbdulRaheem Olajide Jimoh, has called on the Federal Government to query the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh, rtd, over his recent comments on the fight against insurgents in the country.
In a statement made available over the weekend by his media office in Lagos, Jimoh stated that the statement credited to the immediate past CDS could demoralise other military personnel.
"ACM Badeh’s comment was a distractive statement and it could demoralise other military personnel in the countr," Hon. Jimoh stated.
“He should be careful and watchful. I want to advise President Muhammadu Buhari to invite him and query him accordingly. Why is it that he is making such comments after his retirement? It is rather unfortunate and it’s not good for the country’s military personnel.”
Jimoh added that it is not expected of a person who has just retired from the military to be making such unguarded statements at this time, advising other military personnel, particularly those in top hierarchy, to be careful of what they say in public.
He said: “If Badeh has anything to say at all as the immediate past CDS, he ought to have discussed it personally with President Muhammadu Buhari and advise him accordingly.
“This is the same person that criticised the governor of Borno State when he stated last year that the military was under- equipped and under-utilised. Why is he now telling us stories after his retirement?,” Jimoh queried.
It would be recalled that ACM Badeh, rtd, stated during his pulling-out ceremony that some Nigerian governments acceded to the demands of some foreign countries to reduce the size of the nation’s military.