THE Conference of Igbo Professionals Worldwide on Sunday called for a review of what it called a lopsided promotion of police officers.
In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, the group pointed out that only one officer from the Southeast got a promotion.
It recalled the alleged unfair treatment of the region in recruitment, appointments and projects.
The Police Service Commission (PSC) on Friday promoted senior police officers during its 10th plenary meeting.
Twelve of the promoted officers were from the Northwest, eight from the Northeast, seven from the Southwest, five from the Southeouth, four from the Northcentral and one from the Southeast region.
In a December 26 letter, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent obtained, the group’s National President, Prof. Patrick Kalu, and National secretary, Dr Uche Mbaka, appealed to President Buhari and the National Assembly to not only set up a panel to unravel circumstances leading to unfair treatment of the Igbo but to also review the police promotions.
They said: “We are constrained to point out that the exercise which ordinarily would have been effected in line with the country’s policy of equity and fairness, was regrettably skewed towards some regions at the detriment of the Southeast.
“For instance, as observed by us, out of the figure mentioned earlier, the Northwest was apportioned 12 slots just as the Northeast was given eight slots.
“The Southwest, on the other got seven while the Southeouth got five in that order. The Northcentral geopolitical region was given four slots. We regret to say here that unlike the zones mentioned, the Southeast region only got one slot.
“This, to us, is the height of the ongoing desperate efforts of the current federal administration to completely alienate the Igbo race in the Nigeria project. This provocative action is condemnable and unacceptable to us.”
The group said the PSC may have drawn its inspiration to carry out “this wicked action against Ndigbo” from what has been in place since the emergence of the Buhari administration.
Listing the areas the Igbo were being marginalised in the nation’s scheme of things, the group insisted that the President must take urgent steps to “right the wrongs.”
“These infractions included the lopsided appointment of security chiefs; infrastructure deficit including roads, railway, and seaports; unfavourable allocations from the Federal Government; and concentration of interventions of development partners in other regions.
“Others are exclusion from commanding heights of the nation’s economy; delay in the passage of Southeast Development Commission Bill and flying the kite of the 2023 presidency.
“We call on you sir, to address the principle of federal character in the distribution of public resources and appointive positions, especially security chiefs.
“Also, we appeal to the National Assembly to immediately step in to stop these unfair treatments of Ndigbo in Nigeria.
“This it can do by first of all set up a committee to investigate the reason for these actions by the government,” the group added.
