Group Condemn Ethnic Sentiment In Army Panel Retiring Of Officers,Urges President Buhari To Urgently Review Outcome

A Civil Society Group, Equity & Justice Forum has, in a

 communique released after its General Meeting held in Enugu

 on Thursday condemn in strong term what it called

 unpatriotic, divisive and retrogressive outcome in the

 sacking of about 60 senior Army officers in Nigeria some

 weeks ago. According to the Civil Society Group

 investigation many of the army officers were dismissed under

 tribal, vendetta sentiment by their superior.

 Tongues had been wagging alleging that the two panels set up

 by the army authorities to investigate officers who

 allegedly compromised professionalism in the last general

 elections in Nigeria and those allegedly engaged in corrupt

 acts regarding the ongoing arms deal probe, were economical

 with the truth and biased in their findings and

 recommendations .

 Arising from their meeting, the Secretary-General of the

 group, Dr Anthony Edafe who read out the communique sent a

 strong word to President Buhari to quickly act and review

 the outcome of The two panels, headed by Major General

 Adeniyi Oyebade and the one chaired by AVM J.O.N Ode. “

 We have carried out our due-diligence and dicovered with

 utter dismay that such a shoddy, tribal-influenced and

 myopic outcome could be carried out by the committee. Many

 of the accused were innocent of the allegations, they were

 not invited for questioning or court-marshalled before

 passing judgement of sacking”

 “We also findout that truly some officers from the

 North whose names were included in the list were already

 being covertly readmitted into army”.

 While urging President Buhari to urgently set up a committee

 to look into the issue, the group said “the action if

 not not properly reviewed will further raised the palpable

 tension in the country capable of undermining our

 unity”