By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
Nigerians have expressed disgust over a report that the State Security Service (SSS), recently recruited, in lopsided manner, Nigerians into the country’s secret police.
At least two prominent Nigerians, one, a former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof Chidi Odinkalu and the other, a political activist, Deji Adeyanju, shared infographics of the skewed appointments which they said allocated 85 per cent of the latest recruitment slot of the SSS to the North West and North East. The North Central, South East, South South and South West, shared the remaining 15 percent.
For Odinkalu and Adeyanju, the lopsided recruitment was symbolic of a nepotistic state.
Professor Odinkalu said: “The leadership of Nigeria’s elite State Security Service, SSS, seems clearly invested in building a very united country. They are doing well,” he said in a sarcastic tone.
Adeyanju simply said that by the lopsided recruitment, President Muhammadu Buhari stands out as Nigeria’s worst nepotistic leader.
The report detailing the lopsided recruitment into the SSS was first published by the Peoples Gazette on September 29.
In the report, the Gazette said a state by state profile of the recruits at the SSS training school in Bauchi, revealed that 628 Nigerians reported for the training at the SSS training school in Bauchi. And out of that number, 535 were from the North East and North West, while the North Central, South East, South South and South Westl had 93 recruits.
The Gazette said it’s investigation also revealed that the same lopsided scenario exists at the SSS training school in Ojo, Lagos, although it said it does not have the details beside the fact that while every state in the South and North Central had only four candidates each, the North East and North Central had 38 recruits each. Kano had the highest with 71 candidates coming from the local government area of the director general of the SSS, Yusuf Bichi.
Not a few Nigerians expressed shock at the report.
@martmekus said:”They keep talking about foistering unity but doing everything possible to cause disunity. How can one even explain this lopsided recruitment? By the time PMB is done with Nigeria, the danger done may not be remedied in the next ten years.”
@GideonSina said: “This lopsided recruitment must be immediately reviewed and cancelled by the National A Assembly.”
@AlbanusO replied: “Which National Assembly? the one in Buhari’d pocket or another one? Let me know.”
@adeyemibisiriyu said: “If a comprehensive staff audit is carried out on all MDA, military and paramilitary recruitments, you will discover that there’s a big question on equity, citizenship, and the much desired rebirth from this present facade.”