There are strong indications that at least 25 Nigerian Army generals may be retired because of the appointment of Major General Farouk Yahaya as Chief of Army Staff.
The reason is that the generals are his seniors, belonging mostly to the Regular Course 35 and Regular Course 36 while Yahaya, new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) is of the 37 Regular Course.
The tradition has been that a junior officer cannot superintend over his seniors.
Yahaya is also junior to other service chiefs like the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor of Regular Course 34; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Anwwal Gambo and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, both of Regular Course 35.
There are reports that the appointment of the new COAS who is from Sokoto State was delayed as the president was weighing ethnic and religious factors.
A source said that, “The President finally settled for Yahaya because many of the Generals in Regular Courses 35 and 36 were found to be from the same tribe or the same state as other security chiefs in the Ministry of Defence, National Security Advisers’ office, the Navy and Airforce.
“For instance, Major General Jamil Sarham of Regular Course 36, a former Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy is from Kano, Where the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd) and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Anwwal Gambo, hail from.
“From all indications, no fewer than 25 major generals from courses 35 and 36 will leave the force with the appointment of Yahaya.”
There are also discussions around the Chief of Policy and Planning, Maj Gen Benjamin Ahanotu of Regular Course 35, who is from Anambra State which shares borders with Delta State where the Chief of Defence Staff comes from.
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