CDS, Maj.-Gen. Chris Musa
‘Retire by Monday, July 3,’ DHQ tells senior officers above service chiefs
Nigerian military high command has directed officers who are senior to the newly appointed Service Chiefs till Monday to voluntarily retire from service.
A statement from the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and signed by Maj-Gen. Y Yahaya, for the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Chris Garba, directed military officers ranked above the newly-appointed service chiefs to retire by Monday, July 3 to turn in their resignation letters.
The latest directive follows President Bola Tinubu’s June 19 appointment of new service chiefs for the various arms of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The new Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Christopher Musa is a member of 38 Regular Course, the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral, Emmanuel Ogalla, and the Chief of Air Staff, and Air Vice Marshal, Hassan Abubakar are members of 39 Regular Course.
It is expected that a massive retirement in the military will affect scores of major-generals, brigadiers- general, air vice marshals, and admirals in the Nigerian Army, Air Force, and Nigerian Navy, respectively.
The retirement of high-ranking officers across the three services in line with a long-standing military tradition of retiring officers who were senior to the service chiefs.
The affected senior officers who are expected to file in their voluntary retirement are officers above the NDA Regular Course 39.
There are, however, senior officers who are of Course 37 and 38 still in service. According to military tradition, senior officers are not to take orders from their juniors. The affected officers are expected to turn in their voluntary retirement applications not later than Monday July 3.
“It would be recalled that the President, Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently appointed new CDS and Service Chiefs on June 19, 2023.
“In order to preserve and uphold the tenets of the military profession which values hierarchy and service discipline, it is important that all officers whose officer cadet courses run seniority above that of the current Service Chiefs disengage from the Service.
“Consequently, I am directed to respectfully request Services to direct all officers with seniority on com- mission above that of NDA Regular Course 39 to submit their applications for voluntary retirement from Service with immediate effect. I am to add that affected officers are to submit their applications to their respective Service Headquarters no later than Mon July 3, 2023,” the CDS memo read.
