Defence Spokesperson, John Enenche, has said that fresh ideas on how to prosecute the war against terrorism in the country cannot come from service chiefs but from junior officers and junior commanders on the field.

The killing of 110 rice farmers by jihadists in Borno, near Zabarmari, about 20 kilometres from Maiduguri, over the weekend elicited outrage from Nigerians, fueling demands that service chiefs should be fired for failing to tackle insecurity in the country.

Asked if change of service chiefs result into fresh ideas on how to prosecute the war against terrorism in the country on Channels TV, Mr. Eneche said the military operates a bottom-up system in which ideas radiate from the bottom, especially rank-and-file to junior officers and field commanders.

“ My training is bottom-up approach. That is the new training. Ask intercontinental system. It comes from the bottom to the top. I have been a commander. That is how it works”, Mr. Enenche said. Our intercontinental staff system which is very effective and works, you don’t look down on your subordinates, you don’t look down on your junior commanders. They are the people out there on the field…you’ll get it better from a bottom-up approach.”

Mr. Enenche also said the journalist who asked him about change of service chiefs was not being fair to him, because he cautioned the journalist before the interview.

“Well, you are not being fair to me asking me the question about service chiefs,” Mr. Eneche said. “I cautioned you. I cautioned the person who called me. You should be fair. You know where to channel this question.”