Tension, anxiety, and uncertainty have gripped the Nigerian Armed Forces following the recent exit of the Service Chiefs and the appointment of new helmsmen.
In the Nigerian Army specifically, the appointment of Major General Waidi Shaibu as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), believed to be a member of Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Regular Course 41 has triggered ripples across the ranks.
According to military tradition, officers from Courses 38, 39, and 40, who are senior to the new COAS, are expected to proceed on compulsory retirement.
Findings by THE RADARR indicate that the nation could lose the services of no fewer than 100 senior military officers as a result of this development.
Historical Pattern
This situation is not new. The Nigerian Army has witnessed similar mass retirements in the past whenever a junior course officer is appointed as COAS.
For instance:
Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (NDA Regular Course 29) was appointed COAS in July 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari, even though officers from Courses 25, 26, 27, and 28 were still in service.
Following his appointment, all officers senior to him were retired—regardless of their positions as Corps Commanders, General Officers Commanding (GOCs), or Defence Headquarters officers.
Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya (NDA Regular Course 37) was appointed COAS in May 2021, while officers from Courses 35 and 36 were still serving. Shortly after his appointment, those senior officers were compulsorily retired.
Similarly, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja (NDA Regular Course 39) became COAS in June 2023 under President Bola Tinubu, even though officers from Courses 36, 37, and 38 were still in active service. Within weeks, most of those officers were retired in line with established tradition.
Implications of the New Appointment
If a Course 41 officer now leads the Army, it means that officers from Courses 38, 39, and 40—regardless of their current postings as GOCs, Commandants, or at Defence Headquarters—will likely be affected by the next round of retirements.
This long-standing convention is rooted in the military’s chain of command and discipline ethos, which stipulates that a senior officer cannot serve under a junior.
Thus, once a junior becomes COAS, his seniors must voluntarily or compulsorily leave the service.
According to defence analysts, the President and Commander-in-Chief reserves the constitutional power to appoint any officer he deems most suitable for the role, not necessarily the most senior, and this has remained the standard practice since the 1980s.
ENDS..
