. Affected officers stopped from reporting at duty posts
. CDS orders them to proceed on courses
Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, has met with Major-Generals, Air Vice Marshals and the Rear Admirals who are members of the Regular Course 36 and senior to the new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Farouk Yahaya.
It was learnt that the meeting was convened as part of the plans to tactically ease no fewer than 70 major generals, AVMs and rear admirals out of the service.
Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari bypassed 29 serving major-generals and appointed Yahaya, who is a member of Regular Course 37.
But the President’s decision has been generating controversy in the last two weeks.
CDS Irabor, has, however, asked members of Course 36 to proceed on courses of their choice and to stop reporting at their duty posts.
Thursday’s meeting between the CDS and the 70 generals, it was learnt, followed a ‘restricted’ letter marked DH/ABJ/401/38/ADM dated June 4, 2021 obtained by our correspondent.
Rear Admiral AB Adamu signed the letter on behalf of the CDS.
It partly read, “Ref A (NOTAL) under the cover of Ref B (NOTAL) approved the commencement of annual leave in respect of Maj Gen JB Olawunmi (N/8795) and 28 others who are members of 36RC in the NA. The snr offrs (senior officers) were to proceed on the annual leave wef 1-30 June. However, I am directed to invite all serving members of 36 RC in the AFN (Maj Gen and equivalent) to a meeting with the CDS as follows. Thursday, June 10, 21; DHQ Conference Hall; 11.00hrs prompt.”
Irabor, it was learnt, based on approval from the Federal Ministry of Defence, asked all the members of regular course 36 in the Army, Navy and AirForce to proceed on courses of their choice for the next one year.
But a general, who spoke to our correspondent, pleading anonymity, said, “Gen Irabor made it clear to everyone that because all course 36 members of the army who are seniors of the current Chief of Army Staff, are being eased out, it would be wrong to retain their course mates in other services.
“To this end, all air vice marshals in the air force and all rear admirals in the navy that are members of Course 36 have been affected. They will not be allowed to continue to report at their respective services or at DHQ. The intention is to get all to resign without forcing them to do so.”
The Army brass hat disclosed that while some of the generals would go to the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, while others would go to the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria on course.
Explaining the rationale for the military high command’s action, the general added, “The military now has a tradition whereby when a new chief of any of the branches is appointed, all those who senior him, including those who are in other arms of the military, are eased out. This was how members of the Regular Course 35 were all eased out in February.,”