CSO carpets Buhari’s aide for defending S’East exclusion in security architecture

Urges President to redeem image with remaining two years
Conference of Nigeria Civil Society for Peace and Security has taken a swipe at the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, for supporting exclusion of the South East in the country’s security architecture.

Shehu had said on Monday that appointment of the next Inspector-General of Police (IGP) would not be based on ethnicity.

As the tenure of Mohammed Abubakar elapses as IGP, there have been agitations from the South East and other regions that his successor should come from the South East, since the region was not considered in the appointment of the new service chiefs.

The civil society organisation said it was disappointed in Shehu’s statement, as his justification of the exclusion of the Igbo from security appointments was not only insensitive but also irresponsible.

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Dr. Aminu Shettima, and National Secretary, Olufemi Amuda, the group wondered if competence only resides among the geo-political regions that Buhari had consistently considered for appointments in his administration.

“We find this statement coming from Shehu at this time that Nigerians are still adding their voices to the exclusion of the South East from the recent appointment of the service chiefs by President Muhammadu Buhari as insensitive and irresponsible.

“We view the statement ascribed to him as highly irresponsible, sentimental, insensitive and an attempt to justify this government’s continuous neglect and hatred for the Igbo nation, which, no doubt, is the third largest ethnic group in Nigeria,” it stated.

While agreeing that the appointment of service chiefs is not and should not be based on ethnic consideration, the group wondered whether Igbo of the South East lacked competent officers that could be appointed in Buhari’s administration.

The CSO added: “We wish to say here, without hesitation, that continuous alienation of people of Igbo extraction from the affairs of the Buhari administration is confirmation of the deep-rooted hatred for the Igbo by this administration. It is now clear to everyone.

“Nigeria has three major languages, including Igbo; so why are the rest always carried along in sensitive appointments in Buhari’s government except for the Igbo? The answer is clear to everyone and it is nepotism. This should never be allowed to thrive in today’s Nigeria.”

It appealed to the president to use his remaining two years in office to right his wrongs, thus leaving a good legacy, and not to allow sycophants to further paint him in bad light.