The House of Representatives has instituted an investigation into reports of alleged lopsided recruitment by the Nigerian Army, Daily Trust learnt in Abuja yesterday.
It followed “petitions and complaints” which lawmakers received from their constituents claiming that the recent recruitment by the Army defied federal character requirements, a member of the investigative panel told our reporter yesterday.
A joint House committee on Defence, Army and Federal Character is conducting the investigation, and yesterday it asked Chief of Army Staff Lt-General Azubuike Ihejirika to appear before it today at 11am to defend the allegations.
“We have received several petitions alleging that the Chief of Army staff neglected federal character principle in recent cadet recruitments into the Nigerian Defence Academy and the Nigerian Army Depot,” a legislator said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue.
“All our constituents who are qualified and applied for the NDA and recruits were denied, but we got report that their places were all given to people from one zone of the country, and this is unconstitutional,” he added.
Daily Trust learnt that the committee was mandated by the House leadership to investigate the allegations and submit their findings.
On Tuesday, the Chief of Army Staff was summoned to appear before the probe committee but he instead sent in the Military Secretary to represent him yesterday.
However, the committee, chaired by House Chief Whip Rep. Isiaka Mohammed Bawa (PDP, Taraba), turned back the Military Secretary and said the Army chief must appear personally today by 11am or risk “the anger of the parliament.”
Should the principle of Federal Character be applied in every Federal Government recruitment-especially, as it regards security where expertise and qualifications should be considered first and foremost before any requirement?
Source: Daily Trust
This type of attitude of favouring one section of the country when it came to security issue originate from the inception of this regime ie Goodluck Ebele Jonathan regime.The man is a partial leader in all aspect look at the issue of people in Niger Delta Hooligans taken to Spain USA England & Other countries for a Vocational course in the name of reconciliation why not extend the same gesture to other Hooligans.Inconclusion This govt is a sectional govt.
@Eng Garba Adamu Yauri. You’re just a fool for posting such a thing. I don’t blame you anyway, you’re Hausa. Fuck you!
@Chidi Ihejirika; Engineer Garba is right. This government is a sectional one. You challenged him because of his name. Assuming it was Chukwuma, Chinomso or Osofia that posted that comment, I am sure you wont respond. Oloriburuku agbaya, ejo lo joko. You dont have any logical explanation or comment simply keep your palm kanel mouth shot.
I think the issue of bias in recruitment is not perculiar to the soldiers alone,it cut across all the ministries and agencies in Nigeria. Civil defence recently recruited over 6000 in the name of replacement! But they actually recruited and give letters to those that hav connections. That is the type country we find ourselves!
One day a list of all employees in all Federal Agencies would have to be published so that the issues of Federal character would be laid to rest. Maybe some people never expected an Igbo man to occupy that position. That is the reason for all these. The Nigerian Army should be allowed to be in unity in order to be able to function effectively. By the time we divide them into Igbo, hause, Yoruba, Ijaws, they would no longer be an effective fighting unit. Let the army be.