Sweeping retirements have hit the Nigerian Armed Forces with more than 16 Generals affected in the Army, Air Force and Navy, having been given letters to proceed on terminal leave preparatory to disengaging from service.

Military sources revealed that 10 Army Generals, four Air Vice Marshals and two Rear Admirals have disengaged or are due for disengagement from service.

Among the three services, only the Army has been able to officially confirm the retirement of more than nine Generals, who have attained the maximum mandatory age and years of service, according to the harmonised terms of service for the Armed Service.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Brig-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, in a statement yesterday listed the names of nine of the retired Generals and also confirmed the redeployment of about 14 others in the Army Headquarters.

Attahiru also clarified that some of the names peddled in some media as having been retired are false, especially the Chief of Policy and Plans at Army Headquarters, Maj-Gen E. E. Bassey, who was not due for retirement from the Army until 2014, contrary to report in some sections of the media.

He said: “In line with the Armed Forces Harmonised Terms and Condition of Service Officers, the Army Council recently accepted the voluntary retirement of the following senior officers; Major General LP Ngubane, Major General NC Maduegbunam, Major General BM Monguno, Major General OAC Ariahu, Major General AK Kwaskebe, Major General CO Ugwu, Brigadier General ED Amah, Brigadier General MM Dan-Ali and Brigadier General MA Hassan, among others.

“The Nigerian Army wishes to advise members of the media to always endeavour to clarify issues with the appropriate authority before rushing to the press in order to achieve balance reporting.”

The Army spokesman also released the list of the senior officers affected in the latest posting and appointment to include; Major General SU Abdul-Kadir, Commander Training and Doctrine Command, Major General PJ Isang, Chief of Training and Operations Defence Headquarters, Major General FM Airende, Commander, Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and Major General HIO Ayoola, Chief of Research and Development Defence Headquarters.

Others are Major General JAH Ewansiha, Chief of Standards and Evaluations Army Headquarters; Major General DD Enetie, Commander, Special Task Force (Operations Safe Heaven); Major General OT Ethan, General Officer Commanding 7 Division; Major General HA Saliu; Corps Commander Artillery, Major General AO Adekanye, Coordinator, Nigerian Army Special Vehicle Plans and Major General TI Dibi, Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison.

Also affected in the redeployment are: Brigadier General ML Raji, Acting Director, Peacekeeping Operations, Defence Headquarters; Brigadier General BY Bukar, Acting Director of Transformation, Defence Headquarters; Brigadier General AO Odidi, Acting Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and Brigadier General RO Bamigboye, Deputy Director of Operations, Defence Headquarters, among others.

Further findings showed that among the senior officers that have received their terminal leave letters, two Air Vice Marshals in Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Headquarters respectively, have already gone on retirement and their positions taken over by newly posted officers.

Concerning the Nigerian Navy, a former Chief of Accounts and Budget, Rear Admiral Kehinde Komolafe, was said to have retired voluntarily, while Rear Admiral IO Oladosu, who was the Director of Equipment, Standard and Harmonisation, DHQ retired due to attaining the compulsory terminal age and rank of service.

The source said: “Others who are said to be serving at the Defence headquarters and a Tri-service institution are expected to proceed on retirement by the end of December this year.

“The retirements of the senior officers is based on the fact that they have either served 35 years in service or have attained the mandatory retirement age of 55 years.

“Most of those shortlisted for retirement are because of their age on rank, non promotability and lack of vacancies.”

•Source: ThisDay.