Stakeholders from the North East region have thrown their weight Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum over his advocacy that Nigeria seeks the assistance of Chadian soldiers in its war against terrorism.

Elders drawn from the region said they trusted the Nigerian soldiers in their ability to prosecute the war but lacked the needed leadership to achieve it.

In the statement signed on Friday, by Engineer Zana Goni as Chairman and Dr Mohammed Misua as Secretary, respectively, the North East Elders insisted that until the leadership of the Nigerian Armed Forces is rejigged, nothing meaningful can be achieved anymore in the ongoing war against insecurity especially terrorism in the country.

The statement tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to respect the position of majority of Nigerians who it noted, were of the firm believe that it was time for a change in the country’s security architecture.

“We wish to remind Mr President that Nigerians voted for him and he needs to listen to them urgently on security issues which we know that the service chiefs are 70% of the problem,” they said.

The group noted that Chadian soldiers had recorded remarkable feat in similar war in their country, appealing to the President to without delay, heed to the call of the Borno State governor by approving assistance of the Chadian soldiers for further prosecution of the ongoing war against terrorism.

The statement accused those opposing the assistance of the Chadian soldiers as sponsors of terrorism in the country, asking the President to ignore them.

The statement read in part: “We, the entire management and members of Coalition of North East Elders for Peace and Development (CNEEPD) wish to reiterate our call for the immediate sack of the country’s service chiefs who have since lost ideas to transform the fight against insurgents and the nation’s security situation.(Text, excluding headline, courtesy Saturday Independent)