TheCable

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 — although this has been the tradition.

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

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.