Jaji bombings: JNI condemns redeployment of officers

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam yesterday slammed the Defence Headquarters for redeploying the leadership of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, following recent twin bomb strikes on a church within the cantonment.
In a press release made available to journalists in Kaduna by the Secretary General of the JNI, Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, the group queried the rationale behind replacing the AFCSC Commandant, Air Vice Marshall Abdullahi Kure, and the Corps Commander, Infantry, Jaji, Major Gen. Muhammad Isa, both of whom are Muslims, with Christians, even while investigation into the bomb attack is ongoing.
It also wondered why such measures were not adopted by the authorities when the Nigerian Police headquarters and the 1 Mechanised Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, suffered bomb attacks in the recent past.
The JNI said: “The attention of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam has been drawn to a report that following the unfortunate bomb blasts which rocked Jaji Military Cantonment on Sunday, 25th November, 2012 that claimed the lives of 15 innocent people, the Defence Headquarters had redeployed the Commandant of the Armed Forces and Staff College, Air Vice Marshal Abdullahi Kure, and the Corps Commander, Infantry, Jaji, Major General Muhammad D. Isa (one of them took over just few weeks ago).
“While reiterating our condemnation of the blasts and emphasising the need for immediate thorough investigations into the matter, we want to state that the immediate removal of the two officers does not speak well of the military, who are hitherto known to be careful and objective in dealing with sensitive issues of national interest.
“While we are not against military posting, rushed decision on serious issues of this magnitude even before the committee charged with the investigation of the incidents submit its report leaves much to be desired.
“We cannot comprehend why the use of two different approaches to addressing the same issue. Nigerians may not understand why would the two Jaji officers be removed in connection to the blasts even before any proper investigation, while no immediate posting out could follow the bombings at the 1 Mechanised Division and the Police Headquarters which preceded it.
“The fact that the two officers who were swiftly removed are Muslims and were replaced by two officers who are non-Muslims makes any discerning observer to be suspicious of the motives behind the whole exercise.”