The agenda and ethnic cleansing in the army.

How the hunger games are unfolding
The news from military defense headquarters that out of the recently retired generals and senior military officers, about 75% were southerners are keeping tongues wagging. It’s really a surprise that most Nigerians, especially southerners are knowing for the first time that ethnic cleansing in the armed forces has been going for the past 50 years! Folks, no bi today the thing dey happen. Brace yourself for the real truth, and what’s driving Buhari’s northern agenda. But while you kick back and relax for the truth, process this other one that’s currently uploading: all the agencies in the ministry of the interior are headed by northerners, most of them Hausa/Fulani! You feign ignorance at your peril. Ignorance, though not a crime, it is dangerous!

For much of the history of the Nigerian armed forces, discrimination has been it’s bane. And for much of this time northerners make no bones compunctions to tell anyone willing to listen they own the armed forces; the rest officers are just second class citizens. Consequently, recruitment, promotions, retirements and everything else is skewed to favor the region. In most senior staff and war colleges, one need only to be a northerner to show up and make it through. You must wonder why Buhari has no West African School Certificate, but rose to become a general. Right at this point, I could’ve rested my case, but there’s more to the recent retirement of 200 generals and senior officers in the army that meets the eye.

Since his swearing in as president, Buhari has left no one in doubt as to his driving ambition to keep the north the leading edge in virtually every aspect of the country’s socio-economic and political tapestry. Buhari doesn’t give a hoot about been seen largely as the president of northern Nigeria. He said loud and clear during his state visit to Washington, that he cannot treat the 97% of people who gave him the votes as opposed to the 5% who did not. Forget the little fluzzy math of 97% and 5%! Who cares!

It is the northern agenda, stupid! Let me therefore, break it down for the layman trying to understand the latent undercurrents in the retirements of southern officers. Now, there are thousands of Boko Haram terrorists been given amnesty through the back door and “rehabilated” into the civilian mainstream. Most of these lucky Boko Haram terrorists given amnesty wind up in the army with only one agenda: to take over the south. Secondly, there’s a serious effort for the army to compliment the murderous activities of the Fulani herdsmen as they gradually continue to push southwards. In such a scenario, it’s only wise to flush out a lot of southern generals to give the army a free open season to make sure the northern agenda is accomplished. At this point in our chequered history, only a buffoon will not know there’s a northern agenda waxing on all fronts.

Have we stopped to process the unfolding of so many security-related issues on Buhari’s watch? The efforts by northern legislators to superimpose Sharia law over the constitution. The grazing reserves biil winding up its way through the legislative chambers. The Fulani herdsmen who for now seem untouchable but only in Ekiti state. Then, the gunboat diplomacy against the irrepressable #Avengers of the Niger Delta. Besides the above, has Buhari ever shown any inclination that the south matter in the political scheme of things other than corner the region’s resources for greater northern empire dominated by the Hausa/Fulani?

Back to the 200 military officers retired. This is ethnic cleansing through and through. Because it is disingenuous on the part of the administration to preach one Nigeria only to undercut senior officers from the south because they were seen to pledge allegiance to former president Goodluck Jonathan. So, what happened to the gallant officers who paid the supreme sacrifice fighting to safeguard the country’s territorial intergrity when same Jonathan was commander in chief? Do we now take it that officers who are now loyal to Buhari as commander in chief are enemies of Nigeria?

Let me speak as someone who lived it. The army, no, the armed forces of Nigeria has a different set of rules and standards for her men and women. For southerners, you have to be best. You have be a soldiers soldier to survive. In Staff colleges and other institutions, the average southerner has to be in the upper crust of the class to be recognized; his colleague from the north is most likely given passing grades even before the course began! It is different strokes for different folks. Some senior officers, perhaps the best in their graduating class hardly make it past the rank of Colonel. While his colleague from the north is assured go be promoted as a Brigadier-General no matter what. Right now, the military has a good number of federal-character generals and senior officers. That been said, it shouldn’t be taken that there no good and excellent northern officers.

In the military, federal character doesn’t apply to southern officers as the policy is applied to northerners in other socio-economic and political areas. Therefore, the recent mass retirement of senior officers shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. In the era of military dictatorship, count how many southern officers were military governors or military administrators. The statistics will show that one Nigeria is all but a myth. Go figure. Peace.
            _________ Ebi B Asain