Ndume, who chaired the Senate Committee on Army in the 9th National Assembly and currently represents Borno South, made this call in response to recent statements by the Northern Ethnic National Forum (NENF).
The northern youth group had demanded the immediate sacking of the current Service Chiefs over persistent security challenges.
The group, led by its convener Dominic Alancha, had accused the military leadership of incompetence, alleging that the country’s worsening insecurity persisted despite heavy financial allocations to the defence sector.
But Ndume in a statement yesterday , dismissed the call as “ill-motivated and unpatriotic,” warning that such public criticism could further demoralize troops engaged in active operations across various volatile zones.
He said, “Those pushing for the sack of the present crop of Service Chiefs have ulterior motives and do not mean well for this administration or Nigerians.”
He argued that the military top brass including the Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar; and Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, appointed by President Tinubu in 2023, possess the requisite field and operational experience to prosecute the nation’s security campaign effectively.
According to Ndume, the real solution lies in a “TEAM” approach, Training, Equipment, Ammunition, and Motivation.
He said, “It is outlandish and uncharitable to accuse the present Service Chiefs of professional incompetence. All they need is adequate support in terms of logistics and morale.”
Highlighting the hardship faced by Nigerian soldiers, he lamented the poor welfare packages provided to troops, revealing that a private in the Nigerian Army earns only N100,000 monthly, with a daily frontline allowance of N5,000, a figure he described as “unconscionable.”
“How do you expect morale and dedication from men who risk their lives daily for such paltry compensation?” Ndume queried.
“People should desist from pronouncements that could dampen the morale of our soldiers and officers on the field,” he added.
Security reports indicate that Nigeria recorded over 4,600 violent incidents and nearly 7,000 deaths in the first half of 2025 alone.
Armed groups continue to ravage communities in Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, and Borno states.
Over 100 soldiers and 200 civilians reportedly lost their lives between November 2024 and April 2025.
Ndume emphasised that the escalating violence is not due to any failure on the part of the current military leadership, but rather a result of systemic issues, particularly underinvestment in logistics, intelligence, and troop welfare.
He commended President Tinubu for adopting what he called an inclusive and equitable approach in appointing the current military leadership,
He noted that their regional and religious diversity helps to foster national cohesion.
