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Seven generals may retire — Investigation

Posted by arimah patrick ifeanyi on September 12, 2010 at 11:30pm
Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Oluseyi PetinrinThere are strong indications that at least seven generals of the Nigerian Army may retire, following last Wednesday’s appointment of Maj.-Gen. Onyeabo Ihejirika as the new Chief of Army Staff by President Goodluck Jonathan.Ihejirika, a member of Course 18 of the Nigeria Defence Academy, was the Chief of Logistics in the Defence Headquarters, Abuja before his appointment.A military source, who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter, told our correspondent on Sunday that following Ihejirika’s elevation, all members of course 17 of the NDA, who are his seniors in the army, would be retired. An investigation by our correspondent revealed that seven out of about 40 senior army officers of the rank of Maj-Gen. were Ihejirika’s seniors.According to a source, these high ranking officers may be retired because of a military tradition which forbids a senior officer from giving the traditional military salute to a subordinate.The source said the tradition would also necessitate the promotion of Ihejirika to the rank of Lt.-Gen. above all other high-ranking army officers, as was the case with his predecessor, Lt-Gen. Abdurrahman Dambazzau.Those said to be superior to Ihejirika in seniority include the General Officer Commanding, One Division Kaduna, Maj.-Gen. Kamaldeen Role; Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Maj.-Gen. M A. Yerima; as well as the Chief of Army Policy and Plans, Maj. A.A. Atofarati.Others are Chief of Training and Operations, Defence headquarters, Maj.-Gen. ID Penap; GOC, Training and Doctrine Command, Maj.-Gen. A.O. Ogunedo; Maj.-Gen. M. Said; and Director, Peace-keeping at Defence Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. O. Akinyemi.Meanwhile, the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike, will on Monday hand over the leadership of the Nigerian military to his successor, Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin.One of Dike’s aides told our correspondent on the telephone on Sunday that the outgoing CDS would hand over to Petinrin at the Conference Room of Defence Headquarters, Abuja.Also, a statement from the office of the Chief of Air Staff, entitled ‘Handing-over and Taking-over Ceremony’ and signed by Group Captain Alonge on behalf of the Air Force Director of Information said Petinrin would hand over the affairs of the force to the New Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mohammed Dikko.However, it is not likely that the newly appointed Chief of Army Staff and his Navy counterpart would take over the outfits on Monday.The Directors of Information of the Army and the Navy, Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade and Commodore David Nabaida, respectively, said on Sunday that the date for the handing over ceremonies in their Army and the Navy would be announced later.
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