in the Nigerian military.
The referenced section – 09.02c – of the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers 2012 , shows the officers were laid off “on disciplinary grounds i.e. serious offence”. However, contrary to the claim by the Army, investigations showed that only a few of the affected officers were queried, tried and indicted.“I want to respectfully state that I was not in any way involved in any of the two issues stated as reasons for compulsory retirement of 38 officers of which I was among,” Abdufatai Mohammed, a retired lieutenant colonel, wrote in his petition to Mr Buhari. “I was never investigated at any time and I have not committed any serious offence.
The two officers – A.S.H. Sa’ad , who was at the Directorate of Military Intelligence; and Mormoni Bashir , former principal staff officer to Mr. Dasuki – were retired without indictment. Although, Mr. Sa’ad faced a panel, he was not found to have engaged in any wrongdoing. Although the Nigerian Army said the affected officers were retired for either being involved in the 2015 general elections or arms procurement fraud, investigations showed that officers who were not in Nigeria at the time of the elections were also sacked.
But Mr. Mohammed was said to be away in the North-east at the time and played no role during the election. Yet, he was retired. The former commanding officer, 93 Battalion, Takum, O.C. Egemole , who was also compulsorily retired, was also accused of “not doing enough” to avert APC loss in Taraba State. He was also neither queried nor investigated.
Also, without probe or indictment for any offence, T. Minimah , brother to former Army Chief, Kenneth Minimah, was also removed from his post in Benin and retired.PREMIUM TIMES checks indicated the army violated its own rules in the ways the officers were disengaged. The Act prescribes steps to be taken in punishing offences, and a review shows no section empowers the Army Council to arbitrarily punish or compulsorily retire officers for any offence.