Army Disputes Allegation Of Lopsided Postings To Southeast

The Nigerian Army has dismissed reports of alleged deployment of officers of Northern extraction to quell tension in the South East region of the country.

Army authorities have described the report published by an online paper as “baseless” and “targeted at steering discord and disunity among peace loving Nigerians.”

The online paper had accused the army of “bias” posting of northern officers to command positions in the South.

Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, on Monday issued a rebuttal on Twitter.

General Yerima said it should be clear in “everyone’s mind that the NA does not train, deploy or operate along ethnic, religious, tribal or regional divides”

He stressed that “senior officers are posted to command units based on their capability and competence taking into consideration their posting history. “

According to him, the author of the report wanted to sow discord and failed to do thorough background check for his report.

Putting the record straight, Yerima stated that “the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division Enugu, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja is from South West, the Commander 34 Brigade Owerri Brigadier General Raymond Utsaha is from the North Central.

“Major General Gold Chibuisi is of the South East extraction and is also the General Officer Commanding 2 Division Ibadan which is the largest in number of states under command including 4 Brigade in Edo State.

“Equally, Brigadier General Farouk Mijinyawa was never the Commander of 16 Brigade as misrepresented by the writer. “.