DHQ: No General Has Retired Over Yahaya’s Appointment As Army Chief

The defence headquarters has denied reports of mass retirement
in the Nigerian army following the appointment of Farouk Yahaya as
chief of army staff.

Bernard Onyeuko, DHQ spokesperson, said the military
headquarters has not authorised any retirement caused by Farouk’s
appointment.

Yahaya, a major general (pictured), was appointed as army chief
to succeed Ibrahim Attahiru, who died in a plane crash in May.

His appointment stirred a lot of controversies because his
seniors are still in active service.

There were also reports that many generals — who are of course
35 and 36 — would be forced to retire to pave way for the new army
chief, who is of course 37.

But addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Onyeuko said
not a single army officer has retired because of Yahaya’s
appointment.

“At this point, you are all aware of the appointment of the new
chief of army staff, Major General Farouk Yahaya,” NAN quoted him
to have said.

“This has stirred up a lot of rumours in the media about mass
retirements in the military.

“I wish to use this medium to dispel such unfounded rumours as
retirement is only on a voluntary basis for senior officers who
desire to do so.

“At this point, no retirements have been authorised by the
military high command.”

Some of the officers said to have retired are from southern
Nigeria including Benjamin Ahanotu, chief of policy and plan at the
army headquarters who is from Anambra state.

The defence headquarters has denied reports of mass retirement
in the Nigerian army following the appointment of Farouk Yahaya as
chief of army staff.

Bernard Onyeuko, DHQ spokesperson, said the military
headquarters has not authorised any retirement caused by Farouk’s
appointment.

Yahaya, a major general (pictured), was appointed as army chief
to succeed Ibrahim Attahiru, who died in a plane crash in May.

His appointment stirred a lot of controversies because his
seniors are still in active service.

There were also reports that many generals — who are of course
35 and 36 — would be forced to retire to pave way for the new army
chief, who is of course 37.

But addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Onyeuko said
not a single army officer has retired because of Yahaya’s
appointment.

“At this point, you are all aware of the appointment of the new
chief of army staff, Major General Farouk Yahaya,” NAN quoted him
to have said.

“This has stirred up a lot of rumours in the media about mass
retirements in the military.

“I wish to use this medium to dispel such unfounded rumours as
retirement is only on a voluntary basis for senior officers who
desire to do so.

“At this point, no retirements have been authorised by the
military high command.”

Some of the officers said to have retired are from southern
Nigeria including Benjamin Ahanotu, chief of policy and plan at the
army headquarters who is from Anambra state.