Mischievous Elements Are Trying To Whip Up Sentiments About Army Retirements —Nigerian Army Spokesman

The Nigerian Army has raised what looks like an alarm. The alarm being that some Nigerians are trying to blow the story about its recent retirements out of proportion. The Army is disturbed that some sections of the press have misrepresented and distorted the facts.

According to Col. Sani Usman who is Acting Director, Army Public Relations, “We are quite aware that some mischief makers are trying to whip up sentiments. This is quite unfortunate because all the affected officers were retired based on service exigencies and in line with the Armed Forces Act, CAP A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”

Some media reports had put the number of high-ranking officers retired at 120, while others put it at 50. Some reports had the names and descriptions of some of the officers said to have been retired.

Said Usman: “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to speculations and rumours regarding the number and names of the senior Army officers affected  in the recent retirement exercise. We wish to state that only 38 senior officers were affected by the retirement exercise. For the avoidance of doubt, the following is the statistics of the officers retired compulsorily: 9 Major-Generals, 10 Brigadier-Generals, 7 Colonels, 11 Lieutenant-Colonels and a Major.”

Col. Usman noted that serving officers of the Nigerian Army were listed by some media houses as having been retired.

What the Army spokesman did not say, however, was the actual identities of the senior officers who were fired. Col. Usman did not give the names of the affected officers.