The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law has said the outgone Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, reduced the Nigerian Army to a Hausa-Fulani group as he allegedly promoted 32 northerners among the recently promoted 47 Major-Generals.

Intersociety added that the former Chief of Army Staff must be made to answer for his nepotism and mismanagement of the army and face prosecution.

Lt. General Tukur Buratai.

The group stated this in a release on Wednesday by Emeka Umeagbalasi, as the Board Chair; Chinwe Umeche, as the Head, Democracy and Good Governance; Obianuju Igboeli, as the Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law; and Comrade Samuel Kaanyaoku, as the Head, Field Data Collection and Documentation.

The group said, “The Nigerian Army under Buratai was reduced to ‘an Army for Fulani-Hausa Muslims alone’ with others as makeshifts. For instance, the army under him witnessed a high level or maddening domination and control by Fulani-Hausa Muslim officers, to the extent that in its recent promotions and postings; out of 47 Major Generals, North took 32, including 27 Muslims and South took only 15, including only three from the South-East.

“In the case of 163 Brigadier-Generals posted, the North took 110 including 84 Muslims and the South took 53, including only 10 for the South-East.”

On November 28, 2020, the army had released its latest list of its promoted senior officers.

Checks by SaharaReporters revealed that about 20 names were from the North out of about 39 Generals.