Following widely reported allegations of lopsided promotions and appointments into ‘juicy’ positions which favours a certain ethnic group in the country, the Chief of the Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Azubuike Ihejirika, will, next week, address the issue which he says is being sponsored by some disgruntled elements.
The army chief, who has registered his disappointment with the alleged ethnic cleansing and victimisation in the Army had promised to address the issue next week, on the occasion of the first quarter of the Chief of Army Staff Conference. Although the army authorities had faulted the allegation, it disclosed that Ihejirika would address the issue next Monday.
The new Director, Army Public Relations Department, Brigadier-General Ibrahim Attahiru, made the disclosure while taking over from Major-General Bolaji Koleosho, who resumed work at the Army Headquarters as the Chief of Civil-Military Affairs.
Attahiru, who acknowledged the media speculations, said “my answer for now is that the Chief of the Army Staff would address members of the press on February 11 and this issue would properly be addressed.”
At the handing-over ceremony, Major-General Koleosho acknowledged the support and understanding that characterised the relationship between the media and the army while his tenure lasted and urged the media professionals to extend the same gesture to his successor.
Meanwhile, the new army spokesman appealed to the media to crosscheck their facts from his office on any story that had to do with the army before going to the press and promised an open door policy.
Until his appointment, Attahiru was the Assistant Director of the Plans Department at the Defence Headquarters.
