DHQ denies mass retirement of army generals

…says retirement in military is always voluntary

By Tobi Adetunji

The Defence Headquarters has said speculations that there is mass retirement of some generals in the Nigerian Army following the appointment of Farouk Yahaya as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), is not true.

The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Bernard Onyeuko, a brigadier general, stated this while briefing journalists on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Yahaya, a major general, was appointed as 22nd COAS on May 27, following the death of Ibrahim Attahiru, a lieutenant general, in a plane crash in Kaduna on May 21.

He is a member of the 37th Regular Course.

There were speculations that no fewer than 30 generals, who are Mr Yahaya’s seniors, would be retired from service.

The affected officers belong to Regular Course 35 and 36.

Some of them are the Chief of Policy and Plan, Ben Ahanotu, Chief of Operation and former Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force, Ibrahim Yusuf, and A.M. Aliyu.

There were media reports that, in line with military tradition, the affected generals cannot serve under a junior officer to them and must mandatorily go home.

But Mr Onyeuko said the retirement of senior officers from the military was always voluntary, adding that the military high command has yet to authorise the retirement of any officer.

“At this point, you are all aware of the appointment of the new Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya.

“This has stirred up a lot of rumours in the media about mass retirements in the military.

“I wish to use this medium to dispel such unfounded rumours as retirement is only on a voluntary basis for senior officers who desire to do so.

“At this point, no retirements have been authorised by the military high command,” he said.