The Ministry of Defence has issued a directive for officers on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Regular Course 38 and below to voluntarily retire from service following the recent appointment of new Service Chiefs by President Bola Tinubu. The directive, contained in an internal memo signed by Maj. General Y. Yahaya on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Maj. General Christopher Musa, stated that seniors of the new service chiefs must retire from the military to uphold the tenets of the military profession.
The affected officers, including generals, brigadiers-general, air vice marshals, and admirals in the Nigerian Army, Air Force, and Nigerian Navy, have been directed to submit their retirement applications to their respective Service Headquarters no later than July 3, 2023.
According to the memo, this procedure is a normal practice to prevent insubordination when juniors are appointed to higher positions. Officers on a higher regular course to the newly appointed service chiefs are expected to retire, ensuring hierarchy and service discipline.
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,” the Defence Ministry noted.
The exact number of affected officers expected to retire is uncertain due to the staggered seniority among officers. However, the new Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. General Christopher Musa, was appointed on June 19, 2023, along with other service chiefs. He is a member of the 38th Infantry Course of the NDA and was commissioned on September 21, 1991.
