President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved the extension of the tenure of the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Air Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff.
The approval was confirmed by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, in a statement by his Public Relations Officer, Colonel Tukur Gusau.
Buhari extended the tenures after considering the ongoing military operations across the country.
The statement, which did not specify the duration of extension, means that the CDS, Gen Abayomi Olonisakin, the army chief, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, the Air Chief, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, and the Naval Chief, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, will continue in office.
The statement reads; “The president and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, having carefully reviewed the on-going military operations across the nation and the efforts of the Chief of Defence Staff and the service chiefs in the counter insurgency operations in the North-East, coupled with the security situation of the Niger Delta region, has graciously approved the extension of tenure of service of General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Vice Admiral Ibok-EteIkwe Ibas, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) and Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS),” the statement said.
The statement said the action is of the president is anchored on the powers conferred on him by section 218 (1) and (2) of the 1999 constitution and section 09.06 of the Harmonised Terms and Conditions for Service for officers (2012) revised.
The statement said the service chiefs had been congratulated by Mansur Dan-Ali for earning the confidence of the president and the people of Nigeria leading to their extension of service.