PROF. ADEPOJU ADESHOLA OLATUNDE

ALLEGED ETHNIC BIAS

CRISIS BREWS IN NSCDC.

There is palpable fear at the Wuse Headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over alleged ethnic bias by those alleged to be in the kitchen cabinet of the new CG over the pro-Abolurin boys..

Abuja Morning Star gathered from insider sources that since the emergence of new CG, Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammad, appointed to succeed former boss, Dr Ade Abolurin, aggrieved section of his proposed new cabinet – mostly officers of Northern Extraction – are spoiling for war.  Their mantra now is “This is our turn”, though our sources say this is unknown to the CG.  But officers from the Southern part of the Paramilitary are not folding their hands.  They are resisting this obvious ethnic diversity.

These officers who now surround the office of the CG and branded pro-CG have begun to use their strategic position to harass and intimidate those perceived as “Abolurin boys”.

An example is one highly placed female officer in charge of Administration – who is now on the verge of being “framed” for phantom reasons by these radical pro-CG elements.

The officer, of Yoruba extraction, and an ACG and rumored to have been close to former CG have been penciled down for transfer to the Zone as Zonal Commander instead of being promoted as DCG which she, according to insider sources, well deserves.

Whispers around the HQ indicates that the lady is about to be implicated in a phony transfer scandal. “It’s like giving a dog a bad name in other to hang it”, said a confidant. The transfers in question were those hurriedly done by some self seeking officers with hidden Agenda which affected many innocent officers not in their good books without the knowledge of the new CG.  “They simply used the occasion to punish those they hate especially females whom they transferred wide leaving behind only their protégés”, said one HQ staffer who prefers anonymity.

But the lady in question who heads the Administration Department, having detected the anomalies boldly set out to reverse these perceived wrongs with immediate effect, ensuring justice is done to preserve the good name of the Corps.  “This is what angered these officers who are by far her juniors”, said the source.

Sources say, as a result, these “hawks” who read her action as an “affront” subsequently “manufactured” an allegation of receiving non-existent transfer bribes just to prepare the grounds to edge her out of the HQ power loop.  “We know these officers who are engineering this blackmail and we are aware that the CG cannot be sold on this.

When Abuja Morning Star visited the Wuse HQ of the paramilitary, majority of the officers interviewed gave thumbs up for the CG whom they describe as a detribalized and principled person.  “Any officer trying to rope the CG into this thought better look for something else to do”, said one of the respondents.  Another said, “It is a figment of their imagination to think that the CG would allow such nonsense”.

Right now, the lady in question is trying to maintain her cool, awaiting the reaction of the CG, though she is said not to be disturbed by the claims flying around.

Attempts to see the CG by our reporters proved abortive as he was said to be in a meeting.

But from feelers put together, the lady ACG appears to be the only female officer of “Southern stock”, around the current CG;  while the PSO, CSO, SA and other officers are all “Hausas”.  The PSO himself who spoke to our reporter however debunked the view that there was something amiss’ “We are here by virtue of merit”, he told us.

However, the bulk of the complaint of unfair transfer treatment emanated from the FCT Command, Gudu, where the new cabinet that replaced Alhaji Kufasoro, a renowned gentlemen were said to have chosen those they want to “work with” and heartlessly pushed others out.

A particular officer described as “Second in Command” is said to be the brain behind this gaffe and he is said to be “feared” by senior and junior staff.  “In FCT Command, this man is well known; he likes power too much and assumes too much”, said a source there.  This 2-I-C who, many hideously call “emperor” is said to be so heady that no other officer is allowed in the corridor when he is coming or going.  “How the Commandant tolerates him is a wonder”, said a junior officer who also prefer anonymity.

The officer pointed out that it is not certain if the CG is aware of this, as yet because he is new on the beat, but sooner or later, the news will get to him.

By Zandas Barau