A civil society organisation, Citizens Network for Security and Development (CNSD) has commended the defence headquarters for the directive on all Senior officers in the Army , Airforce and Navy to proceed on compulsory retirement from the Nigerian military saying it is a step will ensure sanity in the system.
The CSO position is coming on the heels of media report that the chief of Defence staff issued a directive to all officers senior to the service chiefs to proceed on retirement.
A statement signed by President of the group, Hon. Edward Etuk and made available to journalists described the decision of the chief of defence staff Gen. Leo Irabor as wise and timely decision.
The group explained that the continued stay in the armed forces of such senior officers breeds ill feeling as they do not take orders but rather give contrary directives to Junior officers.
It further argued that as senior officers who have boys in the military the Junior officers will tend to look up to them or obey them more than the commanding officers maintaining that junior officers will disobey the commanders knowing that they have senior officers to run to.
“It has become the tradition in the military that when appointments of chiefs are made the senior officers immediately proceed on compulsory retirement or are retired. Leaving these officers in the armed forces would have set a dangerous precedence in the Nigerian military other senior officers would use it as a basis to violate this tradition in the army.
“With the 2023 elections fast approaching, the officers could be willing tools in the hands of external forces or desperate politicians who are bent on getting to power using any means possible, including distabilizing the country”, the group alleged.
It further wondered why senior officers who understand the tradition would wait for five months to be asked to retire by the defence headquarters.
According to the statement, if the war against insurgency and criminality must be won, every decision that needs to be taken, no matter who is involved must be taken to defeat the enemies of the country.
“Over time there has been concerns about the military policy of seniority especially with senior officers still in service when their juniors were appointed into strategic positions to head major formations in the military. This was capable of causing acrimony and even mutiny in the Nigerian Armed forces as it was not possible for senior officers to take orders from the junior officers appointed as service chiefs ”
“Again, the continued stay of these officers delayed the promotion of some other Junior officers who are eager to get advancements in their military career. This alone is capable of leading to sabotage in the military.
“With their retirement, deserving Junior officers would get their promotion and entitled ranks”, the statement noted.
The group further hinted that it had raised alarm that keeping officers of a senior course would be a disservice to Nigerian military. Such officers would feel neglected and constitute a clog in the war against insurgency.
The group task the chief of defence staff, other service chiefs and security agencies to synergize and defeat the enemies of the country who are bent on sponsoring insecurity to destabilize the Nation.
