The Nigeria Army has said the All Progressive Congress, APC, Presidential<\/p>\n
Candidate, General Mohammadu Buhari enlisted into the Nigeria Army without
\nthe originals, Certified true copies or photocopies of his West African
\nSchool Certificate, WASC.<\/p>\n
It said at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday that it had a letter
\nfrom the Principal of Buhari\u2019s secondary school, dated 1961, recommending
\nhim for enlistment into the military school.<\/p>\n
At the Press Conference address by Brigadier-General Olajide Laleye, the
\nArmy said, “Nevertheless, the entry made on the NA Form 199A at the point
\nof documentation after commission as an officer indicated that the former
\nHead of State obtained the West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1961
\nwith credits in relevant subjects: English Language, Geography, History,
\nHealth Science, Hausa and a pass in English Literature. Neither the
\noriginal copy, Certified True Copy (CTC) nor statement of result of Major
\nGeneral M Buhari’s WASC result is in his personal file.”<\/p>\n
Below is Excerpts from the Press Conference:<\/p>\n
Gentlemen of the Press, I am pleased to welcome everyone back from the
\nChristmas and the 2015 New Year festivities. On behalf of the Chief of
\nArmy Staff, officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, I wish you all a
\nhappy and more fulfilling 2015. Since our last media briefing on 31
\nDecember, 2014, some issues relating to the Nigerian Army have occurred
\nand this briefing is holding specifically to address them.<\/p>\n
I will begin with the Major General Muhammadu Buhari certificate
\ncontroversy. Gentlemen, let me state clearly that the Nigerian Army holds
\nthe retired senior officer in very high esteem and respect and would not
\nbe a party to any controversy surrounding his eligibility for any
\npolitical office. Suffice to state that Major General Buhari rose steadily
\nto the enviable rank of Major General before becoming the Head of State of
\nour dear country in December 1983. The media hype on retired Major General
\nMuhammadu Buhari\u2019s credentials as well as the numerous requests made by
\nindividuals and corporate bodies to the Nigerian Army on this issue have
\nnecessitated that we provide the facts as contained in the retired senior
\nofficer\u2019s service record. Records available indicate that Major General M
\nBuhari applied to join the military as a Form Six student of the
\nProvincial Secondary School, Katsina on 18 Oct 61. His application was
\nduly endorsed by the Principal of the school, who also wrote a report on
\nhim and recommended him to be suitable for military commission. It is a
\npractice in the NA that before candidates are shortlisted for
\ncommissioning into the officers\u2019 cadre of the Service, the Selection Board
\nverifies the original copies of credentials that are presented. However,
\nthere is no available record to show that this process was followed in the
\n1960s. Nevertheless, the entry made on the NA Form 199A at the point of
\ndocumentation after commission as an officer indicated that the former
\nHead of State obtained the West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1961
\nwith credits in relevant subjects: English Language, Geography, History,
\nHealth Science, Hausa and a pass in English Literature. Neither the
\noriginal copy, Certified True Copy (CTC) nor statement of result of Major
\nGeneral M Buhari’s WASC result is in his personal file.<\/p>\n
I hope this explanation will put to rest the raging controversy
\nsurrounding the secondary school credentials of Major General Mohammed
\nBuhari as it affects the Nigerian Army.<\/p>\n
I will also seize this opportunity to make some observations on the recent
\nCNN report titled ‘The Battle Against Boko Haram’, which was aired a few
\ndays ago. I believe we all hold the CNN in high esteem. However, CNN\u2019s
\nreport on issues concerning kitting, equipment, medical treatment and
\ncorruption in the Nigerian Army is perhaps the best example of a media
\nhouse\u2019s show of bias, ignorance, poor journalism, unprofessionalism and
\nhandiwork of a sponsored documentary. Let me start with kitting. It would
\ninterest you to know that there is no Army in the world where personnel do
\nnot purchase additional uniforms and kits to augment those officially
\nissued to them. Accordingly, the Nigerian Army without fail issues
\nuniforms and kits to its personnel periodically. Like other armies, the NA
\nhas over the years, established ordnance shops in all its barracks and
\ncantonments where uniforms and kits are sold at subsidized prices to its
\npersonnel from allowances already provided in their pay slips. Similarly,
\nyou will agree with me that the NA has a very functional health care
\ndelivery system in the country. There is no barrack or cantonment that
\ndoes not have at least one Medical Inspection Room, Medical Reception
\nStation or Medical Hospital. The NA fully subscribes to the National
\nHealth Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and this is functional in all its health
\nfacilities. Specifically, personnel in the North East have the best
\nmedical treatment in that the various health facilities in all the
\nbarracks and cantonments are well equipped. Notwithstanding this,
\npersonnel with extensive injuries are evacuated to the 44 Nigerian Army
\nReference Hospital Kaduna (44 NARHK), while others are promptly flown
\nabroad for medical treatment. Therefore, issue of a soldier of the NA
\npaying for treatment and drugs covered by the NHIS is absurd. The Nigerian
\nArmy\u2019s undoubted operational gains in the North East of recent, have
\nrubbished the claim of Boko Haram out-gunning the NA. The CNN would do
\nwell to beam its searchlight on the atrocities of Boko Haram terrorists
\nagainst innocent and defenseless Nigerians rather than the NA. Equally,
\nthe NA in the past had requested severally that any evidence of corruption
\nin the NA should be reported to the appropriate authority. Till date, no
\nsuch evidence has been forwarded but rather all we see and hear are
\nsweeping statement of the purported corruption in the NA. In the case of
\nNick Robertson, his leading questions and introduction of the word
\n\u2018corruption\u2019 to the unknown person purported to be a soldier of the NA was
\nmost unprofessional and merely justifies a paid exercise. The CNN in the
\npast have interviewed authorised personnel of other countries\u2019 armies and
\nnot unauthorized hooded criminals to speak to the media. The CNN knows
\nvery well how to contact the relevant offices to clarify issues concerning
\nthe NA but chooses rather to conduct a clandestine interview in a kiosk
\nwith a faceless person and a masked individual who obviously know nothing
\nabout the NA.<\/p>\n
Finally, the Nigerian Army wishes to state that it will remain focused on
\nits mission to rid Nigeria of terrorism and insurgency. To that end, it
\nhas commenced the implementation of the extensive operational,
\nadministrative and logistical decisions reached during 2014 COAS Annual
\nConference. In no distant future, law abiding Nigerians will begin to see
\nvery positive results in terms of security, particularly in the North East
\nand our dear nation generally. Before I depart, I once again seize this
\nopportunity to reiterate the NA\u2019s unalloyed loyalty and subordination to
\ncivil authority as presided over by His Excellency, President and
\nCommander \u2013 in \u2013 Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of
\nNigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR. The Nigerian Army also wishes to
\nemphasize its adherence to the principles and respect of human rights in
\nthe discharge of its constitutional duties. It further calls on everyone
\nto remain vigilant and report any suspected breach of the peace to
\nsecurity agencies.
\nThank you and God Bless.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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