Nigerian president sacks 26 heads of gov't agencies

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday sacked 26 heads of government agencies and parastatals, in the most sweeping removal of political appointees of his predecessor to date.

"President Buhari has approved the immediate disengagement of the following Chief Executive Officers of the underlisted Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions," secretary to the Nigerian government Babachir Lawal said in a statement.

Important government agencies are manned in Nigeria usually by influential political operatives of the ruling party who are rewarded for their efforts during electoral campaigns.

Since Buhari was elected last year May, there had been pressure on him to replace political appointees of the former ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP).

This sacking is the most sweeping since Buhari came to power in May of last year.