By Olusegun Olanrewaju
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Leo Irabor, has ordered the exit of 50 generals from the Nigerian military.
Reports said the affected generals, whose profile cut across the Army, Navy, and Air Force, have been told to turn in their letters of resignation.
The army tops the list of those to be disengaged, including 25 senior officers, it was gathered.
A source said General Irabor gave the directive at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja, yesterday.
At a 2pm meeting, the CDS reportedly thanked the generals concerned for their service, saying it was, however, high time they left office.
Of the lot, the Course 36 Generals are said to still have more than three years left in the log before their retirement.
“They are about 50; two of them in the Army will retire in 2022, while the rest have about three and half years left in service,” the source was quoted to have said.
Another source wondered why the Armed Forces were eager to ease out scores of capable and experienced hands at a time the country is battling insecurity.
Only recently, General Irabor in the 2016 forceful retirement of 38 army officers via a letter (Ref. No. CDS/8/A) to Defence Minister, Major-General Bashir Magashi (retd.).
Security personnel, experts, and many Nigerians had described their retirement as arbitrary, when they were asked to leave in June 2016.
To date, the military and the Federal Government are yet to comply with extant court judgments ordering the officers’ reabsorption.
Also in January 2020, Justice Rukiya Hasstrup of the National Industrial Court (NIC), Abuja, faulted the Army’s decision and directed their reinstatement.
In May 2020, Justice Edith Agbakoba approved that contempt of court charges be filed against military chiefs for failing to comply with a valid order.
Centre raises concern over health risk of firewood cooking
On December 8, the Nigerian Army reportedly held a valedictory dinner described as first of its kind for retiring senior officers “who are not holding strategic appointments at the time of their disengagement.”
It was reported that a total of 52 officers, made up of 23 major-generals and 29 brigadier-generals who had retired and would be retiring before the end of the year, were honoured at the event.
Speaking on the significance of the event, the Chief of Administration (Army), Maj.-Gen. Usman Muhammed said the valedictory dinner was the first of its kind in the history of the Nigerian Army.
