The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law has said the outgone Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, reduced the Nigerian Army to a Hausa-Fulani group as he allegedly promoted 32 northerners among the recently promoted 47 Major-Generals.
Intersociety added that the former Chief of Army Staff must be made to answer for his nepotism and mismanagement of the army and face prosecution..
The group stated this in a release on Wednesday by Emeka Umeagbalasi, as the Board Chair; Chinwe Umeche, as the Head, Democracy and Good Governance; Obianuju Igboeli, as the Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law; and Comrade Samuel Kaanyaoku, as the Head, Field Data Collection and Documentation.
The group said, “The Nigerian Army under Buratai was reduced to ‘an Army for Fulani-Hausa Muslims alone’ with others as makeshifts. For instance, the army under him witnessed a high level or maddening domination and control by Fulani-Hausa Muslim officers, to the extent that in its recent promotions and postings; out of 47 Major Generals, North took 32, including 27 Muslims and South took only 15, including only three from the South-East.
“In the case of 163 Brigadier-Generals posted, the North took 110 including 84 Muslims and the South took 53, including only 10 for the South-East.”
On November 28, 2020, the army had released its latest list of its promoted senior officers.