An estimated 100 generals have been given a July 3, 2023 deadline to retire from the service following the appointment of new service chiefs by President Bola Tinubu it has emerged.
Those given the deadline to retire according to a memo are officers of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Regular Course 38 and below to voluntarily retire from service.
The projection follows the emergence of the new service chiefs from course 39. GWG.ng reports that only the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Maj. General Christopher Musa, is from an earlier set.
In the internal memo dated June 26 and signed by Maj. General Y. Yahaya, on behalf of the new CDS, the Defence Ministry stated that seniors of the new service chiefs must exit the military “in order to preserve and uphold the tenets of the military profession which values hierarchy and service discipline”.
According to the memo seen by The Whistler, the affected officers including generals, brigadiers-general, air vice marshals, and admirals in the Nigerian Army, Air Force, and Nigerian Navy are directed to submit their retirement applications to their respective Service Headquarters not later than July 3, 2023.
The memo read partly: “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 19 Jun 23.
“Consequently, I am directed to respectfully request Services to direct all officers with seniority on commission above that of NDA Regular Course 39 to submit their applications for voluntary retirement from Service with immediate effect.
“It is important that all officers whose officer cadet courses run seniority above that of the current Service Chiefs disengage from the Service ”
Sources confirmed that the memo on the generals to retire is in line with military tradition that requires those senior to service chiefs to leave the service.
GWG.ng reports that The Punch had earlier estimated that those to be affected by the deadline to retire number about 100 generals.
