‘No general retired over Yahaya’s appointment as COAS’

The Defence Headquarters(DHQ) has debunked rumours that there was mass retirement of senior officers in the Nigerian Army, following the appointment of Major General Faruk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff(CoAS) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Yahaya, was appointed after the death of the former CoAS, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, in an ill fated Nigerian Air Force (NAF) plane alongside 10 other senior army and NAF officers, in Kaduna State.

The appointment of the new Chief sparked off speculation in the media over possible mass retirement of officers in the ranks of Major Generals and Brigadier Generals, who are mostly members of Course 35, 36 and 37 Regular Course of the Nigerian

Defence Academy (NDA), as the CoAS, happens to be a member of 37 Regular Course.

But, in a swift reaction, the DHQ said there was no truth in the report, as no retirements has been authorised by the Military High Command.

Acting Director, Defence Media Organisation, Brigadier General Bernard Onyeuko, who made this known at a media briefing, on the update of military operations conducted in the last two weeks, maintained that retirement in the military “is only on voluntary basis for senior officers who desire to do so.

“At this point, you are all aware of the appointment of the new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Farouk Yahaya. This has stirred up lot of rumours in the media about mass retirements in the military. I wish to use this medium to dispel such unfounded rumours.

“No retirements has been authorised by the Military High Command.”