Connect with us

Latest News

How Buhari Govt Truncated Careers Of Nine Major Generals, Seven Brigadier Generals

Published

on

How Buhari Govt Truncated Careers Of Nine Major Generals, Seven Brigadier Generals

Despite the interventions of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, nine major generals and seven brigadier generals ‘arbitrarily’ sacked by the Nigerian Army in 2016 for no justifiable reasons have been technically eased out of the service.

According to PRNigeria, the affected generals reached their run-out date this year and cannot be reinstated into the military, even after the resolutions of the National Assembly and several court orders which directed their reinstatements that were flagrantly ignored by the Nigerian Army.

The affected military generals were among the 38 Army officers compulsorily retired on June 9, 2016, without any cogent reason.

The officers ‘technically’ eased out of service while waiting for justice are Major Generals F. O. Alli, E.J. Atewe, I.N. Ijioma, L.C. Ilo, T.C. Ude, L. Wiwa, S.D. Aliyu, M.Y. Ibrahim and O. Ejemai.

The Brigadier Generals arere D. M. Onoyeiveta, A.S.O. Mormoni-Bashir, A.S.H Sa’ad, L.M. Bello, K.A. Essien, B. A. Fiboinumama and I. M. Lawson.

Meanwhile, three Brigadier Generals, including D. Abdusalam, A. I. Onibasa and G.O. Agachi, can still be reinstated as they still have active years to serve.

READ ALSO: We Didn’t Pay Bandits N20m To Recover Seized Anti-aircraft Gun – Air Force

PR Nigeria noted that several attempts by Malami to resolve the impasse between the army generals and their military authorities were also futile.

PRNigeria gathered from credible investigation that the Army Council, then presided over by the trio of Mr. Mohammed Mansur Dan-Alli (then Minister for Defence), General AG Olonsakin (then Chief of Defence Staff) and Lt Gen TY Buratai (then Chief of Army Staff) sat and announced the compulsory retirement of the 38 Army officers.

The announcement of the compulsory retirement of the 38 officers was made via the media even before the affected officers were eventually informed by text messages of their retirement, sources revealed to PRNigeria.

While announcing the compulsory retirement to the media, the Nigerian Army claimed that the 38 Army officers that were compulsorily retired had been investigated and found professionally corrupt in defence procurement and/or election-related offences in the 2015 general elections.

But one of the sources, with vast knowledge on the case, according to PR Nigeria, maintained that none of the 38 army officers that were compulsorily retired was ever investigated or court-martialled before their public compulsory retirement.

The source, a senior serving military personnel, who asked not to be named, said: “None of the affected officers was ever at any time before their public compulsory retirement queried, notified of any culpability, or subjected to any military police investigation and none was ever court-martialled – these are the mandatory disciplinary process in the military as recognized by law!

“The army records will show that none of the 38 Army Officers that were compulsorily retired was ever charged with any infraction in accordance with expressed procedures in Armed Forces Act CAP A20 The Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”

Another source, while confiding in PRNigeria, said after their public retirement, many of the victimized officers wrote to the Army leadership under Lieutenant General Buratai, asking to be furnished with facts that constituted any alleged offence as stated in their respective letters of compulsory retirement, but regrettably, the army failed to respond to this simple request for over five years now.

“Some of the affected officers also sent letters of redress to both the Senate and the House of Representatives on the victimization of the 38 army officers. The Nigerian Congress through their respective Public Petition Committees investigated the matter and were shocked that the army could not provide any allegation of wrongdoing against the officers whose careers were publicly cut short.

“After their respective investigations of the matter, both Houses had admonished the Nigerian Army over arbitrary disengagement of officers without any wrongdoing and due process and warned that such abuse of office would discourage serving officers and soldiers from giving their full commitment to the service of the nation. Both chambers of the National Assembly further recommended the immediate reinstatement of the affected officers.

READ ALSO:  Fighter Jets Buhari Bought Will Be Used To Destroy Nigeria – Mbaka

“The resolutions were duly forwarded to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Chief of Army Staff, but these resolutions of Congress have been completely ignored which indicates a deliberate pattern of abuse against these innocent officers,” the source said.

Checks by PRNigeria indicates that after the refusal of the Nigerian army to reinstate the officers, based on the resolutions of the National Assembly and court orders, Malami, through the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, wrote letters and reminders to the military authorities in October 2019, November 2020 and even in February 2021 seeking clarification

“over grave acts of injustice and unlawful compulsory retirement from service senior officers.”

In one of the letters sighted by PRNigeria, Malami reminded the Army Chief that he was yet to receive any response for the initial letter he had sent, so he could advise the President appropriately.

 

Read more authentic news on our social media platforms

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Latest News

Abiodun Signs N1.054 Trillion Appropriation Bill Into Law

Published

on

L-R: The Deputy Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Latifat Bolanle: Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Musefiu Lamidi; the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Oludaisi Elemide; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; his Deputy, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele and the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr Olaolu Olabimtan, during the signing of the Year 2025 Appropriation Bill at the Governor's Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on  Monday.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has signed the N1.054 trillion 2025 State Appropriation Bill into law.

The signing, which took place at the Governor’s Office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Monday was witnessed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, principal officers of the House, the Deputy Governor, and members of the State Executive Council.

After receiving the clean copies of the Bill, Governor Abiodun announced that his administration would, in the coming month, sign the partnership agreement with potential partners for the development of the Olokola Sea Port.

He said the government would also focus on the provision of more basic infrastructure with the signing of more Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with private corporate bodies in renewable energy, agriculture, and other sectors that would boost the State’s economy.

He said: “It is my pleasure to announce to you that in the coming month, we will be signing the partnership agreement with potential partners in our port development. The Olokola Port is back on track.

“In the coming year, you will see us signing more Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with private players in the areas of renewable energy, energy transition, and agriculture, particularly animal husbandry. We intend to join the league of those producing beef and pork, not just for domestic consumption, but for export.

“We will continue to provide more infrastructure, particularly roads, in every local government in the State. We will continue in our stride to provide the right infrastructure and the right situation to ensure that students in Ogun State learn in a conducive environment. We will continue to pursue our healthcare program in primary health care, secondary, and tertiary, and of course, our policy on ‘grow what you eat and eat what you grow.’ We are going to be more aggressive in the area of agriculture.”

While noting that his administration would be relentless in the pursuit of infrastructure that would engender more socio-economic development, Governor Abiodun revealed that emphasis on arterial roads like the Ijebu-Ode-Epe, Sagamu-Abeokuta, Atan-Lusada-Agbara, Ota-Abeokuta, and Ilaro-Owode roads had played important roles as they had helped to improve the State’s Internally Generated Revenue through the influx of more people and industries.

He acknowledged the difficulties people are going through due to the bold policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to pull the country out of the woods but maintained that his administration had risen to the occasion by providing needed palliatives to cushion the effects and help the people navigate the period.

“I want to assure you that we can only hope for more wins in the future. It has been a very difficult year for us all, not just as a state but as a country. Our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, started his tenure with very bold reforms that have resulted in some unintended consequences that we must all endure so that we can have a country that is solvent,” he added

He appreciated members of the Assembly for the speedy passage of the Bill after due diligence and commended their high level of commitment to their constituents and the state, noting that their collaboration with the executive arm had led to the state growing in leaps and bounds.

Earlier, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, noted that the speedy passage of the Bill was in keeping with the promise made to the governor when he presented the Bill to the assembly on the 4th of December this year, adding that no budget bill had been passed before Christmas in the past.

While appreciating the governor for the facelift given to the Assembly Complex, Rt. Hon. Elemide said his colleagues worked tirelessly to ensure that the budget was passed on time so as to keep the wheels of the state’s progress moving.

He assured the  governor that the Assembly would continue collaborating with the other arms of government to ensure that the people enjoy the dividends of democracy.

 

Continue Reading

Latest News

Abiodun Appoints Oluwatoyin Taiwo As Chief Of Staff

Published

on

Dr Oluwatoyin Taiwo

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has appointed Dr. Oluwatoyin Taiwo as his Chief of Staff.

Prior to this appointment, Dr. Taiwo was the Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) to the governor.

The Chief of Staff’s letter of appointment was handed over to him by Governor Abiodun on Wednesday, according to a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the governor, Hon. Kayode Akinmade.

The appointment, according to the letter, took effect from 18th December 2024.

The Governor, while congratulating the new Chief of Staff, described the appointment as well-deserved, the statement added.

Dr. Taiwo served as Commissioner for Culture and Tourism during the first term of Governor Abiodun and was subsequently elevated to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff before his new role.

He is an alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where he obtained a B.Sc. in Statistics before pursuing further degrees up to Ph.D.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Labour Appreciates Abiodun For Approving Christmas Bonus For Ogun Workers

Published

on

My Dad Asked Me To Prioritise Civil Servants, Pensioners, Teachers - Abiodun

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Negotiation Committee (JNC) in Ogun State have described Governor Dapo Abiodun as a compassionate leader who has the interest of workers at heart.

In separate letters of gratitude to the governor for approving the Christmas bonus for the state workforce, the two unions said the gesture was a further demonstration of Prince Abiodun’s commitment to the welfare of their members.

TUC, in a letter signed by the Chairman of the Ogun State Council, Comrade Akeem Lasisi, described the bonus payment as a gesture that would help workers overcome the present economic challenges.

“This development was not unexpected, as we are well aware of the compassionate leadership that His Excellency embodies.

“The Christmas bonus package further reinforces the current administration’s reputation for delivering positive changes. This gesture will significantly help alleviate the daily economic hardships that our workforce and their families face. We assure you that this unexpected display of care from His Excellency will encourage our colleagues to strive for even more outstanding achievements for our beloved state.

“We sincerely appreciate the government’s efforts to maintain stability in our industrial relations.

“Please accept our heartfelt gratitude, unwavering loyalty, and support for your administration,” TUC said.

In its own letter of appreciation, JNC Chairman Comrade Olude Isa said the bonus would empower the state workers to have successful celebrations.

He said: “Beyond rhetoric, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON, has done it once more, putting smiles on our faces in this season of celebrating Jesus Christ. The bonus has brought to the state workforce two factors: economic empowerment and the faithful heart of inclusiveness.

“We all received the payment; confidently and joyfully, we went shopping. Also, we felt that, indeed, we are included in the overall schemes of relevant stakeholders in our dear state. Honestly, we are very grateful for the timely gesture.

“May the good tidings of Christmas be with His Excellency always. And to his amiable cabinet, the strength to bring our state to our desired greater heights will surely be bestowed on each and every one of them.

“To you, Sir, our truest, passionate leader, the rewarding spirit of His Holiness will ever remain with you and yours.”

Continue Reading

Top Stories