Northern Senators Meet Over Igbo Domination in Army

Following from the recent warnings by prominent Northerners, especially Sheikh Ahamd Abubakar Gumi, of the alleged Igbo domination of the Nigerian Army, the Northern Senators Forum met at the weekend, to deliberate on the issue.

It would be realled that Sheikh Gumi had called attention to the Igbo renaissance in the army and circulated a letter which he claimed was causing unrest in the North.

The conveners of the Northern Senators meeting circulated a paper containing alleged postings in the military which supported the Sheikh's allegations.

One of the action plans arising from the NSF meeting was the decision to lodge an official protest to the authorities to complain of the alleged Igbo domination.

Speaking to journalists, a source said “We have resolved to launch protests against this imbalance and ensure that the right thing is done,”

However, a group, Information for Democracy and Development (IDD), denounced the allegations by the Northerners as a wicked act meant to further politicize the military and enthrone sentiments over merit.

Said the leader of the organisation, Mr Joshua Yahaya, they “are not comfortable with the level of re-engineering in the army by General Ihejirika....“They may, as well, be people who have twisted the fact to mislead members of the public and distract government in the fight against terrorism. 

Allegations of nepotism against Ihejirika, coming at this time, are, indeed, diabolic and a calculated attempt to distract the army leadership from its laudable counter-terrorism campaigns, which have already started bearing fruits....Apart from the principles of quota and federal character, we believe that the army, being a professional body, must insist on certain minimum qualification,”