How appointment of new service chiefs ignited wild jubilation in Kaduna

By Femi Oyelola

Kaduna State is one of the states in the country that has had its fair share of the precarious insecurity bedeviling the nation.
It is not news that places like the Birnin-Gwari axis at a point became a no-go area as bandits had stamped their authority to the extend of imposing levies on farmers before accessing their farmlands.
The southern part of the state is no easy for comfort as frequent clashes between the natives and herdsmen became a daily occurrence, with attendant loss of lives.
This ugly state of affairs had created a number of Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs) camps spread across the zone.
From Chikun, Kajuru to Zango Kataf and L Kaura Local Government Areas of the state, the IDPs camps abound even though massive efforts are being made to ensure that these displaced persons return to their places of abode.
In Giwa and Zaria LGAs, residents can not sleep with their two eyes closed, so there is no time of rest for them because of the marauders whose frequent attacks defied timing.
Only recently, a traditional title holder, Ardon Birni and Kewaye of Zazzau, Alhaji Shuaibu Mohammed, and his four children were killed when bandits invaded his residence at Dorayi in Zaria city.
All these problems pushed Kaduna residents to seek for a way out of the situation. For quite some time now, every pulpit mounted by any preacher of the two major faiths in any part of the state is to seek divine intervention to end the unfortunate situation whigh has traumatised residents.
It was, therefore, not any surprise the jubilant manner residents of the state recieved the news of appointment of new service chiefs early in the week. They consider this development as answer to their fervent prayers and daily supplications, if only that would bring the lingering insecurity in the state to an end.
The new service chiefs are: Major General Christopher Musa as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS); Major General Taoreed Lagbaja as Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla as Chief of Naval Staff; Air Vice Marshal Hassan Abubakar, as Chief of the Air Staff; and Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, as Chief of Defence Intelligence. The news of these appointments set the state on a frenzy mood.
The first reaction is from the first citizen of the state, Governor Uba Sani, who warmly welcomed the appointment of Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa as the Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS) by President Bola Tinubu, describing the appointment as well-deserved by an illustrious son of the state.
According to Gov Sani, Gen Musa, is a worthy Ambassador of Kaduna State, having had a distinguished military career and held many strategic positions, including Theatre Commander Operation “Hadin Kai’.
Gov Sani expressed profound gratitude to President Tinubu, for recognizing the worthiness of their son for such an important national assignment.
The next reaction came from Samaru Kataf, in Zango Kataf LGA, where women came out en mass singing and dancing over the reassuring news. A woman leader in the community, Mrs. Maria Luka, said she is excited with the appointment of the service chiefs because the new COAS who is the immediate past General Officer Commanding, (GOC) 1 Div Kaduna, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, is a known face to them in Southern Kaduna as he was a frequent visitor to the area to assess security situation and encourage people.
She added that his words of encouragement and comforts helped them to keep hope alive.
Mrs Luka who shaded tears of joy said the new CDS, Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa, is a worthy son of the soil who has distinguished himself in his military career, especially as the Theatre Commander Operation ‘Hadin Kai’.
She is optimistic that the refined gentleman would use his experience to ensure that peace is restored not only to Kaduna State but Nigeria at large.
Also expressing optimism about the appointment, the National President, Northern Concensus Movement, (NCM), Comrade Auwalu Abdullahi Aliyu, who described the service chiefs as suitable and capable to change the security landscape of the nation to achieve positive results.
Similarly, the President of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, commended President Bola Tinubu, for the swift appointment of the service chiefs and other heads of security formations in the country, saying the new service chiefs are men of proven professional competences.
According to him, they are combat-ready to tackle insecurity and economic sabotage in Nigeria.
But singing a different tone, a member of Birnin-Gwari Development Association, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan, said the people of the council have suffered and are still suffering in the hands of bandits. According to him, therefore, any celebrations of the appointment of the new service chiefs will be premature until there is improvement of security in the area.
He however said he has confidence in the new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, who he said had worked assiduously during his tenure as the GOC 1 Div Kaduna to checkmate activities of bandits in the area.
He added that the freedom being enjoyed in the area today is traceable to Maj-Gen Lagbaja and his troops.
A Kaduna cleric, David Ayuba a.k.a Azzaman Azzaman, on his Facebook page welcomed the development even though he’s an ‘Obidient.’
Azzaman added that he is not against Tinubu as a president, but the process that brought him to the seat, stressing that all his recent moves, especially the appointments of service chiefs has created a place in his heart for the president.
Similarly, another cleric, Mallam Bashir Ikarra, Chief Imam of Ikarra (2) central Mosque, who said he was anti-Tinubu before and after the election, but today the news of the appointments has endeared him to Tinubu and regretted not voting him.
Observers have described the apointmemt of new service chiefs and other policy initiatives so far taken as Tinubu’s Midas touch that has endeared him the more to Nigerians irrespective of creed or political leanings.