The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has blamed the worsening security situation in the South-East and South-South on the domination of the security architecture of the two geo-political zones by non-native senior military and police commanders of Muslim extraction. The rights group has consequently demanded the immediate transfer of no fewer than 20 of such senior security officers from the South-East and South-South.

Intersociety in a recent statement issued in Onitsha, Anambra State, signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, Obianuju Joy Igboeli Esquire and Chidinma Udegbunam Esquire, tasked governors of the 11 South-East and South-South states to ensure that that this is done so as to improve the security situation in the two geo-political zones.

The relevant part of the statement reads: “For purpose of ensuring ethno-religious de-radicalization of the safety and security in the East and giving the Eastern population a true sense of belonging including ‘security and safety with local contents’, the eleven Govs of Edo, Delta, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Bayelsa must jointly or separately go for 60% Security Chiefs from the East and immediate transfer of no fewer than 20 senior military and police commanders of Muslim extraction and other disproportionately deployed senior officers of non Eastern origin. We have found that except CPs of Anambra (Echeng Echeng), Rivers (Okon Effiong Okon) and Bayelsa (Ben Nebeolisa Okolo), the rest are non Easterners mainly, if not mostly Northern Muslims. These explain our firm position that the eleven Eastern Govs must approach the High Commands of the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, DSS and Nigeria Police Force and insist on 60% Security Chiefs from the East deployment to the East and immediate transfer of the 20 Muslim senior security officers listed below. That is to say that there shall be total deployment of 60% indigenous Eastern senior officers and 20% other Christian senior officers and remainder of 20% allocated to Northern Muslims. The affected senior security officers under our firm request for immediate transfer out of the East are:

“Major Gen Aminu Chinade, GOC, 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Major Gen Umar Musa, GOC 82 Division, Enugu, Brig Gen Sani Suleiman, 34 Brigade Commander, Obinze, Brig Gen Adegoke Adetuyi, 14 Brigade Commander, Ohafia, Brig Gen Abubakar Wase, Brig Commander, 2 Brigade, Uyo, Brig Gen Danlami Ndahi, Brig Commander, 4 Brigade, Benin, Col M.B. Abubakar, Commander, 302 Artillery, Onitsha, Air Vice Marshal Ibikunle Daramola, Air Officer Commanding Ground Tactical Command, Enugu, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Dewu, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Calabar; AIG Kamaldeen Kola Okunlola, Police AIG in charge of Zone 6 Calabar, AIG Abutu Yaro, AIG in charge of Zone 13 Awka, AIG Lawan Jimeta, AIG in charge of Zone 5 Benin, AIG I. Akinmoyede, AIG in charge of Zone 9 Umuahia, CP Mustapha Bala Mohammed, Commissioner of Police, Abia State, CP Ahmed Ammani, Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, CP Muhammed Ali, Commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, Commissioner of Police, Imo State, CP Aliyu Garba, Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State, CP Sule Balarabe, Commissioner of Police, Cross River State, CP Olatoye Durosinmi, Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State and CP Mohammed Adamu Dankwara, Commissioner of Police, Edo State. Such overhauls must also be extended to headships of Spy Police formations in the eleven States as well as principal officers of the Army, Navy and Air Force bases, artilleries, battalions and engineering regiments in Warri, Ogoja, Abakiliki, Enugu, Elele, Ogbaru, Owerre-Nta, Asa and Aba.”

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