Southern groups knock Buhari’s pro-North security appointments

President Muhammadu Buhari has come under fire by Southern groups over what they described as “lopsided” appointments of heads of the various security agencies in the country.

They said the pattern of the appointments by the President did not reflect federal character and the diversity nature of the country.

Saturday PUNCH findings showed that 14 of the nation’s 17 security agencies are currently being headed by Northerners. The majority of them were appointed by President Buhari.

Only three security agencies are headed by Southerners, a situation the groups tagged as “worrisome.”

The Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.), under whose purview are the Prisons Service, Immigration Service, Fire Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, hails from Kaduna State.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, is from Borno State. The National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), is also from Borno State. Also from Borno State is the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

The Minister of Defence, Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali (retd.), hails from Zamfara State, while the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, is from Bauchi State. The acting Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, hails from Niger State.

Source: Punch