Army faults JNI over redeployed officers

The Army on Thursday faulted reports attributed to the Jama’atu Nasril Islam that the deployment of the Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Air Vice- Marshal Abdulahi Kure, and the Commander, Infantry Corps and Centre, Jaji, Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Yusuf, was motivated by religious sentiments.
The Director of Military Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Ahmed Jibril, who represented the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Azubuike Ihejirika, at a press briefing in Abuja, said the changes were devoid of any religious undertone.
The JNI had through its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu, faulted the removal of the two moslem officers and their replacement with Christians.
“The fact that the two officers who were swiftly removed are Muslims and were replaced by two officers who are non-Muslims makes any discerning observer to be suspicious of the motives behind the whole exercise,” the group said.
However, Jibril, said it would be unfair for people to impute religious sentiments into the postings at the Jaji Cantonment following the twin bomb blasts that hit St. Andrew’s Military Protestants Church, Jaji.
He maintained that religion was not an issue in the Nigerian Army’s decision-making process.
Jibril said if the JNI, which he described as one of the organisations that had supported the Army in the fight against terrorism and general insecurity in the country had contacted the Army, adequate explanations would have been made available to the group on the issue.
He said when the Division 1 of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna was attacked in February 7, 2012, the Army authorities replaced its General Officer Commanding, Maj.-Gen. J.O. Shoboiki, a Christian with Maj.-Gen. Garba Abdulwahab, a muslim.
He pointed out that when the decision was taken, no section of the society frowned on the removal of Shoboiki and his replacement with a Muslim officer.
He urged Nigerians to avoid attaching ethno- religious sentiments to the actions of the Army, stressing that the force was an institution whose actions are guided by professionalism and global best practices.
He said, “The boards of inquiry and changes in some appointments are inevitable steps to create the right atmosphere for thorough investigations. It is however surprising that a section of the public is insinuating that the changes at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College and Infantry Corps and Centre have religious connotations.”

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