The aggrieved students gave Buhari a “14-day-ultimatum within which to replace the nation’s service chief or face their wrath.”

The students said “failure of the Federal Government led by President Buhari to hearken to their threat and do the needful, would force them to ground the defence headquarters, Abuja to ensure the service chiefs either voluntarily resign or be sacked.”

The President should not allow a bad precedence to thrive over the continued retention of the service  chiefs that have overstayed,” they said.

The National President of the NAPS Sunday Asuku spoke at while addressing a press  conference in Kaduna on Friday.

He said the ultimatum became necessary in view of the deteriorating state of insecurity in the country which made the government looked helpless.

Asuku added that the lackadaisical attitude of the government towards securing the lives and property of the citizenry, was worrisome.

According to him, after the expiration of the ultimatum and nothing is done, the leadership of the association will be forced to mobilize the 21.8m polytechnic students and another civil society group to ground the defence headquarters.

Asuku said, “National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) is an umbrella body for all Polytechnics, Monotechnics, College of Technology and other allied institutions awarding National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) cut across the six (6) geo-political zones of the federation, with the membership strength of over 21.8 million armless Batallion students schooling both at home and in diaspora.

“The leadership of NAPS sternly frown at the alarming Increase rate of insecurity in the country, despite the heavy security budget, security votes and numerous borrowing to acquire several facilities and gadgets by Federal Government of Nigeria under President Muhammad Buhari, it’s so disheartening that banditry, insurgency, kidnapping for ransom amongst others still hits citizens to their doorsteps.

“The recent kidnap and subsequent killing of University of Maiduguri Student, CAN Chairman of Michika Local Govt Area of Adamawa State, Dr Philip Ataga Wife and children, frequent barricade of Maiduguri Express Way and merciless killing and kidnapping of Nigeria soldiers and Nigerians by Boko Haram and bandits, respectively in a widely circulated video, including public announcement of Leah Sharibu deliverance of a baby for Head of Boko Haram raise greater concern.

“NAPS hereby express disappointment in National Assembly 9th Leadership with their insensitivity to the protection of lives and properties of Nigerians.

“It is expected that the leadership of National Assembly will recommend the immediate replacement of Service Chief(s) whose retirement age has passed.

“The call for their replacement is not in any way to despise them in as much as Nigerians appreciate their efforts, sacrifice and commitment to the defence of Nigeria territorial integrity and fight against insurgency.

“It is imminent they step aside to give room for new hands who will surely introduce new approach to consolidate their effort and combat the insecurity.

“NAPS hereby appeal to the FG to beef up security apparatus by honourably replacing the tired Service chiefs within now and next three weeks.

“Nigerian Polytechnic Students and other civil society groups will not hesitate to lead a peaceful mass protest to defence headquarters, Abuja in demand for voluntary resignation or immediate sack of tired but refused to retire service chiefs.”

The NAPS President added, “President Muhammadu Buhari must not allow bad precedence to continue in a nation where unemployment is at a high rate. Extending people who are due for retirement to stay in service is not a good omen.  It further sends a bag signal and portrays the government’s insincerity and commitment to her clamour to provide jobs for teeming Nigerian graduates.”

Asuku, however, commended  the Nigeria Police Force NPF and its  recent stride at Bwrini- Gwari, in Kaduna State in an operation that led to the killing of 250 bandits

Meanwhile, the NAPS leader also appealed to the  Management of Federal Polytechnic, Bida in  Niger State, to respect the agreement reached with Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic ASUP Bida Chapter in the Kaduna declaration at instance of National Board for Technical Education’s  Executive Secretary, Dr Masa’udu Adamu Kazaure in order to save the Polytechnic from further closure again.

“We further appeal to the Federal Government to advise all and sundry to desist from acts that are capable of disrupting the peace of our peaceful institutions across the board,” he said.