The lopsided nature of Nigerian Army: How Northern Nigerian soldiers have dominated Nigerian military commands for decades

The lopsided nature of Nigerian Army: How Northern Nigerian soldiers have dominated Nigerian military commands 

The Nigerian Army is usually perceived as a controlling instrument of the Northern Oligarchy.  And in all intent and purposes, it has carried on as so. The Oligarchy has used the Nigerian Army to execute and implement their policies. The army has been used to wage genocidal wars, overthrow democratically elected governments and assassinate military heads and opposition figures.

Perhaps the most glaring is the ineffectual manner the Nigerian Army has prosecuted the Boko Haram insurgency in the northern part of Nigeria. Ordinarily, vanquishing Boko Haram terrorist would not have taken more than a month, but due to the dynamics of Nigerian politics, the terror group has been allowed to fester. It has been alleged that top military commanders (from the North) of the Nigerian Army has routinely passed intelligence and weapons to Boko Haram terrorists.

This is not surprising considering the fact that Nigerian Army has been dominated by Northern soldiers, with the sole aim of controlling the rest of Nigeria. The dominance of the North in the Nigerian Army like every other sector of the Nigerian system is rooted in the colonial era and policies that were designed to perpetually favour the northern part of the hastily cobbled-up country called Nigeria.
Presented below is a list of past and present commanders of Nigerian military formations clearly demonstrating the lopsided nature that has favoured northern dominance and control.

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CHRONICLE OF THE NIGERIAN MILITARY COMMAND

Past and Present Chief of Army Staff

The office of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) is at the apex of the Nigerian Army structure. It exists under his command, to deter all forms of aggression and render MACA and MACP. Section 18(3) of the Armed Forces Act CAP A20. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, saddles the COAS with the responsibility of command, direction and general superintendence of the Army.

However, out of 24 indigenous COAS Nigeria has had, the north has produced almost 70% (13, Middlebelt 4), while the South has produced about 30% (Southeast 2, South South 4, Southwest 1). The same story goes for the Air Force and the Navy.

Below is a list of past and present COAS of the Nigerian Army.

MAJ GEN CB WELBY- EVERALD -British

 

MAJ GEN JTU AGUIYI - IRONSI - Southeast

GEN Y GOWON - Middlebelt

COL IRI AKANHAN - Middlebelt

Maj Gen HU KATSINA - North

Maj Gen Ejoor - South South

 

LT GEN TY DANJUMA - North

 

LT GEN IA AKINRINADE - Southwest

 

LT GEN GS JALLO - North

LT GEN MI WUSHISHI- North

MAJ GEN IBRAHIM BABANGIDA - North

LATE GEN S ABACHA - North

Lt Gen S IBRAHIM - North

Lt Gen MOHAMMED - North

MAJ GEN MC ALLI - North

Maj Gen Kazir - North

Lt Gen I BAMAIYI - North

Lt Gen SVL MALU - Middlebelt

Lt Gen Ogomudia - South South

Lt Gen ML AGWAI - North

Lt Gen OA Azazi - South South

Lt Gen LN Yusuf - North

Lt Gen AB Dambazau - North

Lt Gen OA Ihejirika - Southeast

Major General K. Minimah - South South

The Former Chiefs of Air Staffs

From its inception to date, the NAF has had 17 administrations predominated by Air Force commanders of Northern extraction. Below is a list of all the Chief of Air Staffs:

.

Colonel G Kahtz (GAF)
1963 - 1965

Colonel W Timming (GAF) (1965-1966)

Brigadier General GT Kurubo (1966-1967)

Colonel Shittu A Alao (1967-1969)

Brigadier Emmanuel E Ikwue(1969-1975)

AIR VICE MARSHAL JN YISA-DOKO (1975-1980)

AIR VICE MARSHAL AD BELLO (1980 – 1983)

AIR MARSHAL IBRAHIM M ALFA (1984 – 1990)

AIR MARSHAL NURAINI O YUSSUFF (1990 – 1992)

AIR MARSHAL AKIN DADA (1992 – 1993)

AIR VICE MARSHAL FEMI JOHN FEMI (1993 –1996)

AIR MARSHAL NSIKAK E EDUOK (1996 – 1999)

AIR MARSHAL ISAAC M ALFA (1999 – 2001)

AIR MARSHAL JD WUYEP (2001-2005)

AIR CHIEF MARSHAL PAUL DIKE (2005-2008)

Air Marshal Oluseyi Olusegun Petinrin (2008 - 2010)

AIR MARSHAL MD UMAR(2010 - 2012)

Air Marshal AS Badeh (2012-2014)