US-based Nigerian investigative news outlet, SaharaReporters, revealed yesterday, July 12, 2021, that the 2021 supplementary list for enlisting in the Nigerian Navy had only the names of candidates from the Northern part of the country in it.
It published the list on its site which showed that of all the 44 names on the list, only three are candidates from the North Central (one from Kogi state and two from Niger state). Others candidates on the list were those from the core northern states like Sokoto, Bauchi, Gombe, etc.
This revelation came as a surprise as entrance into defense academies in the country has always had an element of federal character to it. Also in the report, a naval officer who preferred to speak on conditions of anonymity expressed shock at the decision to neglect the south entirely in the consideration for intakes into the Nigerian Navy.
He said:
“Normally, after recruitment, they release a list and those people on that list will go for training, they divide the list into two, Batch A and B.
“They released a supplementary list recently and this has never happened before that all the names on that list will be from the North, 44 candidates. They are not just from the North but mainly from the core North.
“In the normal recruitment list, every state is usually given equal number but I don’t know why this is different. This supplementary list Batch A has resumed, Batch B will resume in January. These are the few people that will join those that are already there. As far as it is supplementary, every zone and state should be included.
“The former ones they did, all states were included in equal numbers except the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); the FCT is the only one that usually gets lesser slots because most of those using FCT to apply are not from there.
“My question is, why is this supplementary list representing only the North. It should represent all parts, not just a particular region.”
Read Also: DSS Arrest Youths Who Wore #BuhariMustGo T-Shirts At Dunamis Church Abuja
However, the Nigerian Navy has come out to disassociate itself from the viral sectional list, which suggested that it had selected new intakes into the Navy from the core Northern part of the country alone, therefore failing to abide by the principle of federal character.
They have since labeled the publication the handiwork of detractors whilst insisting the list is fake and did not emanate from the Nigerian Navy HQ.
A statement released by the Nigerian Navy and signed by Naval Spokesman, Commodore Suleman Dahun, said the list did not emanate from them and should not be regarded.
NIGERIAN NAVY PRESS RELEASE
PUBLIC ADVISORY ON A FAKE SECTIONAL SUPPLEMENTARY LIST OF SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES IN NIGERIAN NAVY RECRUITMENT
1. The attention of the Nigerian Navy has been drawn to a purported sectional list of supplementary candidates in the Nigerian Navy recruitment exercise trending online and amplified by an online newspaper of questionable integrity.
For the avoidance of doubt, the list is fake and did not emanate from the Naval Headquarters.
The public is therefore advised to treat the list as a pitiable ploy of mischief makers and idle minds intent on creating ill feelings amongst the Nigerian public thereby stoking sectional and religious sensibilities.
The Nigerian Navy is currently exploring legal means of seeking redress over this mischievous story
2. Additionally, members of the public are advised to visit www.joinnigeriannavy.com for authentic information on Nigerian Navy recruitment exercises.
Commodore Suleman Dahun,
for Chief of the Naval Staff
Meanwhile, Nigerians have been left to wonder why the Nigerian Navy did not publish the original list as proof that the one published by SaharaReporters is indeed fake.
Recent Comments