President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked Tukur Buratai as the Chief of Army Staff.

Other service chiefs in charge of Navy and Air Force were also fired in an announcement made by presidential spokesman Femi Adesina on Tuesday.

“PMB appoints new Service Chiefs. Maj Gen LEO Irabor, CDS, Maj Gen I Attahiru, Army, Rear Adm AZ Gambo, Navy, AVM IO Alao, Air Force. He congratulates outgoing Service Chiefs on efforts to bring enduring peace to the country,” Mr. Adesina said in a tweet on Tuesday.

The service chiefs, who were first appointed in 2015, have come under immense criticism over their failure to check widespread insecurity across the country.

The president himself also faced criticism for extending the tenure of the service chiefs despite their failure to address insecurity.

Full presidency statement released by Mr. Adesina on the development below:

Those involved are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.

President Buhari thanks the outgoing Service Chiefs for what he calls their “overwhelming achievements in our efforts at bringing enduring peace to our dear country,” wishing them well in their future endeavours.

The new Service Chiefs are: Major-General Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao, Chief of Air Staff.

The President congratulates the new Service Chiefs, and urges them to be loyal and dedicated in the discharge of their responsibilities.