Army officers petition Ahmed over planned retirement

Chris Agbambu, Abuja - 12.05.2008

Against the backdrop of plans by the Nigerian Army to retire about 200 lieutenants and captains by the end of 2008, junior officers of the rank of lieutenants and captain have petitioned the Minister of Defence urging him to stop the planned mass retirement.

The junior officers noted that the retirement of 45 of their colleagues in November 2007 and the distribution of notification of retirement letters to about 140 Lieutenants this year, is causing disaffection and has thrown the families of these officers into disarray.

Nigerian Tribune gathered from a petition the junior officers wrote to the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, that the planned mass retirement is coming contrary to requirements of the terms and conditions of service of junior officers of the rank of Lieutenants, and Captains who came into service under the 1984 terms and conditions of service.

Under the 1984 terms and condition of service, there was no age ceiling for the retirement of rank of Lieutenant and officers who came in at that time were allowed in at ages 30 to 35 years whereas, the 2007 Armed Forces terms and condition of service gave age ceiling of 35 to 40 years for lieuenants, depending on the type of commissions.

These commissions are Regular Combatant, Direct Regular Commission, and Executive Commission.