Officers: The real reason we were booted out of the army

– Army officers state that the claims by the army are different from what actually happened
– Findings show that the officers may have been dismissed based on conditions of service in the army
The lid has finally been opened on the real reasons top army officers were sacked by the Nigerian army high command.
The senior officers were reportedly shown the exit door due to their alleged partisan role in the 2015 general elections, offences in defence contracts and Ekiti elections.
In a statement sent to journalists on Saturday, June 11, by the acting director of Army public relations, Colonel Sani Usman, the said the senior officers were given the boot on June 10.
According to the statement those retired were mainly some major generals, brigadier generals, colonels, lieutenant colonels and a major.
But a statement made available to Daily Trust by one of the officers reads: “Obviously, the new military establishment came with the mindset of doing away with any officer who worked closely with the former leadership of the service.
Some soldiers of the Nigerian military
“That’s why we were portrayed as villains in the eye of the press and the world at large, and surreptitiously removed from the system. This is rather unfortunate. We are not saying we are all saints; however, I feel we are not that bad. Of course, we are all humans who are bound to make infractions here and there.
“But, honestly speaking, the way and manner we were humiliated out of the army calls for reflection on how things are done in this part of the world, considering our contributions to the survival of this country in the last few years.”
And Daily Trust obtained a document on Sunday, July 19, which showed that the officers were compulsorily retired based on provisions of chapter 9, section 09.02 (a) of the Conditions of Service of the Army.
“An officer may, at any time, be removed from the service, be called upon to retire or resign his commission on disciplinary ground,” the document read.
One of the affected officers said most of them were now exploring the provision of section 09.02 (e) which states: “An officer called upon to retire, resign or relinquish his commission shall, if he so desire, appeal to Mr President, the Commander-in-Chief, through the Chief of Defence Staff within 30 days to have his case considered.
“I am not due for retirement. An average officer is always loyal to the government and the military establishment. And when any of them change, your loyalty must change automatically. However, as far as the new authority is concerned, every officer who worked under the previous system is disgruntled.”
The fact that the actual comprehensive list of the officers discharged has not been made public by the military as well as their crimes has raised eyebrows.
This recent move by the army is generating controversy, as some of the affected officers who are linked to former president Goodluck Jonathan accuse the current administration of sectional and political bias.
At the same time, the army attribute the retirement of the officers to involvement in corruption and political partisanship.