New COAS: Army Speaks On Mass Retirement In The Military

TrackNews Online reports that there have been assertions following the appointment of the new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Farouk Yahaya, that no fewer than fifty-five major generals would be retired.

Recall that Yahaya was appointed as the new COAS on May 27 by President Muhammadu Buhari, following the demise of his predecessor, Lt General Ibrahim Attahiru, who died in a plane crash alongside other army officers in Kaduna State.

According to military tradition, the new COAS, who is of Course 37 junior to the 25 major generals whose names were contained in the alleged retirement list, cannot superintend over them.

Addressing the public on the issue, Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko, released a statement after the press briefing by the Directorate of Defence Media Operations held at the Defence Headquarters on June 3.

Onyeuko categorically stated that the talks of mass retirement in the military due to Farouk’s appointment are not true.

He said: “Retirement is only on a voluntary basis for senior officers who desire to do so. At this point, no retirements have been authorized by the Military High Command.”

Meanwhile, Maj Gen Farouk Yahaya, on Wednesday said the security challenges affecting Nigeria can not be tackled by the land forces in the military alone.

Yahaya made this claim when he visited the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, at the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, Abuja, TrackNews Online reports.

The COAS noted that the war against insurgency and banditry cannot be won by a single unit but through a joint approach.

He further stated the effort of the airpower key in the fight against insurgency, armed banditry and other forms of criminality.