The Defence Headquarters has dispelled rumours that there is a planned mass retirement of senior Army Officers because of the appointment of a new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Farouk Yahaya by President Muhammadu Buhari.
It will be recalled that there had been insinuations that several Army Generals may be asked to proceed on retirement because Major General Yahaya, who is of Course 37, has scores of seniors in the Army, who were of Course 35 and 36, still in the system.
However, the acting Director of Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Bernard Onyeuko, while addressing journalists at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, dispelled such insinuation, stressing that at this point, no retirement has been approved and that retirement for senior officers in the Armed forces was voluntary.
He said: “At this point, you are all aware of the appointment of the new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Farouk Yahaya.
“This has stirred up lot of rumours in the media about mass retirement in the military.
“I wish to use this medium to dispel such unfounded rumours.
“Retirement is only on voluntary basis for senior officers who desire to do so.
“At this point, no retirement has been authorised by the Military High Command.”
