Army chief blames report of ethnic cleansing on mischief makers Posted by: Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja on February 12, 2013 in Featured, News 2 Comments The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.Gen. Azubike Ihejirika has denied the report of ethnicity in postings and appointments in the Nigerian Army, saying it is the handiwork of mischief makers within the Army. At a briefing in Abuja yesterday, Ihejirika described those behind the allegation as disgruntled elements projecting their personal grievances under ethnic and parochial banners. He described the sponsors of the report as faceless groups spreading deliberate falsehood in an attempt to destabilise the Army and create chaos in the country. Ihejirika said: “The motive of the writers appear to destabilise the Nigerian Army and negatively affect its cohesion thereby creating chaos in the country. “It is a great disservice to the nation for anyone to choose through deliberate falsehood to link the routine activities of promotions and postings in the Nigerian Army with ethno-religious consideration. “These faceless groups, if they had no ulterior motives, would have sought to air their grievances through official channels of communication which are available for redress by any genuinely aggrieved persons over any policy or actions of the Army. The Army chief went on: “It is however surprising that some few media chose to celebrate this calculated attempt by some frivolous, unpatriotic and unscrupulous elements aimed at insinuating that the recruitment, promotion, retirement and recent deployment of senior officers in the Nigerian Army were ethnically motivated. For the avoidance of doubt, there is no ethnic or religious consideration in this routine exercise in the Nigerian Army” Ihejirika said the recent postings and promotions in the Army were done on hard work and merit, against parochial interests that dictated the exercise in the past. According to the Army chief, recruitment, promotion and retirement were done with the approval of the Army Council made up of the President (represented by the Defence Minister), the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Army Staff. Apparently referring to the ethnic and religious prisms with which public policies and institutions are viewed by certain segments of the public, Ihejirika said the tendency for some people to latch on to these sentiments could be very tempting. “Nigeria, just like every other nation, has its own fault lines. Unfortunately, some people have chosen to hang on these fault lines to cause disaffection in the Nigerian Army. “When we commenced operations against Boko Haram in Maiduguri, some people started circulating text messages to the effect that the Chief of Army Staff had deployed an Igbo commander to avenge the killing of Igbo during the civil war even though the operation was co-ordinated by the Defence Headquarters. He said: “I appeal to those behind this campaign of calumny to settle their political scores elsewhere. The Army is not just a public service. It is a public institution that should be protected by all. “Serving in the Army is a sacrifice and I will not give an officer who I know is disloyal a strategic position just to satisfy him. If some people are complaining because they missed their promotion, I also missed my promotion in the past; from Lt. Col to Colonel . But here I am today as Chief of Army Staff”, Ihejirika said. The Army chief also alleged that the former Infantry Commander Jaji, Maj. Gen Muhammed Isa (rtd) got intelligence report a day before Boko Haram attacked Defence and Staff College in Jaji. Ihejirika said Isah had sought for extension of service at the point of retirement but that his request was not granted by the Army Council which approves such privileges for officers of his cadre. “At the point of retirement, Isah sought extension of service, saying that he still had much to offer the Army. But the Army Council did not sit before his retirement date was due”. The Army chief said Isah failed to take the necessary precaution prior to the Jaji bombing, stressing that the former commandant was away at an Army conference in Asaba when he was supposed to be at his duty post, thereby leaving his flanks open. “Isah did not take actions that he was supposed to have taken. He did not give instruction to his subordinates on what to do. Instead, he went to attend a conference in Asaba when there was trouble at his duty post. “Even the GOC 1 Division could not attend the conference as a result of the situation on ground. I was surprised to see Isah in Asaba and I made it clear to him that he was expected to be at his duty post instead of attending the conference”, Ihejirika added. The Army chief said those that attacked the convoy of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero in January had been arrested, adding that three assault riffles were recovered from the house of one of the suspects when security agents searched his residence. The Chief of Army Staff, however, admitted that delay in effecting the retirement of senior officers who are due for retirement might have been one of the reasons for misgivings in the Army. He attributed the delay to the fact that the Army Council that approves such retirements only sits quarterly and that some cases may not come up for review until it sits. Ihejirika also said a policy he introduced when he became the Army chief may have inadvertently be responsible for the recent unsavoury developments in the Army. The thrust of the policy is that senior officers whose promotion coincides with their retirements are always allowed to get their promotion, which automatically extends their retirement dates for a few months for them to enjoy their promotion. The policy, he said, was approved by the former Minister of Defence, Dr. Mohammed Bello Haliru. Print Friendly