Despite Nigeria’s ongoing battle with insurgency, more than 500 senior military officers — including Major-Generals, Brigadier-Generals, Rear Admirals, and Air Vice Marshals — have been forced into early retirement following successive changes in military leadership under Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu.
The mass retirements, which affected the Army, Navy, and Air Force between 2015 and 2023, were driven by a long-standing military policy that mandates the exit of officers senior to, or of the same course as, newly appointed service chiefs. The policy, according to the military, is meant to preserve discipline, hierarchy, and efficiency.
Although media reports put the number of retired officers at over 500, insiders suggest the figure could be as high as 900. The military has not confirmed the exact number.
Buhari Era: Multiple Waves of Retirement
The first major round of retirements followed Buhari’s appointment of Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, and Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas in July 2015. Over 100 senior Army officers and more than 20 senior naval officers were retired at that time.
Another major shake-up occurred in 2021 when Buhari appointed new service chiefs — Air Marshal Isiaka Amao, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru (late), and Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo. That move led to the exit of about 123 Army Generals, 50 senior Air Force officers, and 50 naval officers.
After General Attahiru’s death, his successor, Gen. Farouk Yahaya, being junior to several officers, prompted another round of retirements, with over 20 generals leaving voluntarily.
Tinubu Administration: Tradition Continues
The trend persisted under President Tinubu. Shortly after assuming office, he appointed Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, and Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla as service chiefs in June 2023 — resulting in the retirement of 51 Army Generals, 49 Air Force officers, and 17 naval officers.
Following last week’s reshuffle, Tinubu appointed Gen. Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff. Approximately 60 more senior officers are now expected to retire in line with military tradition.
Reactions
Retired General Ishola Williams criticized the repeated mass retirements, calling the process “arbitrary” and reminiscent of military-era governance. He urged reforms to establish a clear succession system that maintains stability within the armed forces.
General Aliyu Momoh (retd.) commended Tinubu for reshuffling the service chiefs but advised him to go further by tackling entrenched “cabals” within the military, warning that without such action, Nigeria would continue facing the same problems.
Brigadier General Adewinbi (retd.) acknowledged that the tradition of mass retirement was part of military culture but suggested the government should utilize retired generals by creating a reserve force to tap into their experience.
Former Air Force spokesperson Group Captain Sadique Shehu (retd.), who served on Buhari’s Armed Forces Reform Committee, called the system “unsustainable and structurally flawed.” He revealed that as of 2022, Nigeria had around 960 generals for 235,000 personnel, compared to the U.S. military’s 900 generals for 1.3 million troops.
He blamed the issue on poor manpower planning, political interference, and weak legislative oversight, urging the National Assembly to legislate clear tenure and appointment guidelines for service chiefs to curb excessive retirements.
Meanwhile, Major General Lasisi Abidoye (retd.) and Major General P.J.O. Bojie (retd.) argued that routine retirements were necessary for career progression and organizational renewal, describing the exercise as a “normal military practice.”
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