By Gloria Ogbonna
The Lagos State Government intensifies its call for justice following the arrest of individuals attempting to fraudulently claim indigene status during the Nigerian Army recruitment process.
The incident sparked uproar among Lagosians, prompting demands for thorough investigations and lawful actions against those involved.
An Idaho man, Damian Zukaitis, was apprehended for allegedly stealing a single-engine plane and flying it over 100 miles to Barstow, Southern California. San Bernardino County authorities took him into custody, charging him with possession of stolen property and a stolen airplane. A stash of beer and alcohol was discovered within the aircraft.
The aircraft's emergency location transmitter triggered an alert, leading the owner to find the plane missing from its hangar. Federal Aviation Administration notifications directed the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department to the plane's location near Barstow-Daggett Airport. Upon arrival, deputies witnessed the suspect taxiing the aircraft and subsequently arrested Zukaitis, who attempted to flee.
The Nigerian Army confirmed the arrest of six candidates involved in a recruitment scam aimed at usurping slots designated for Lagos State indigenes.
This development underscored the Army's commitment to maintaining a fair and transparent recruitment process, with plans for thorough investigations into fraudulent activities and identifying individuals complicit in the act.
Maj.-Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju (retd.), a former Minister of Communications and General Officer Commanding, has called upon the Lagos State Governor and the Chief of Army Staff to investigate the violation of constitutional rights in what he deemed an unacceptable breach of the national goal of unity. He urged immediate steps to prevent the issuance of fake indigene identities to non-residents in Lagos and proposed the establishment of a verification unit for recruitment procedures.
Olanrewaju's recommendations focused on reinforcing the verification process through an autonomous unit staffed by indigenous personnel in five divisions of the state. He emphasized the necessity for collective efforts and political determination to rectify the vulnerabilities in the current system.
The unfolding events have drawn attention to the urgent need for structural reforms in recruitment procedures and highlighted the importance of upholding justice and integrity in the process.
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