Army Reacts To Misleading Report On Retirement Of 243 Soldiers

The Nigerian Army Chief of Staff, Farouq yahaya has denounced social media for manipulating information on the recent voluntary retirement of 243 soldiers from service.

As contained in a statement on Saturday, the Army spokesman, Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, debunked claims that troops of the Nigerian Army were retiring voluntarily because of alleged corruption, poor service conditions and low morale as recently reported by some media outfits.

In his words: “this was nothing but a concoction of the imagination of the unrepentant enemies of the nation and mischief makers and should be outrightly discountenance by the public.”

9News Nigeria reports that over 200 Soldiers applied for voluntary retirement as over low morale as insecurity bites harder. The soldiers, from various formations of the army across Nigeria, range from all junior cadres who are mostly fighting against terrorists and insurgents.

However, the spokesman said the heinous report was a distraction and another failed attempt at numbing the morale and fighting will of the loyal, dedicated and patriotic fighting force of the Nigerian Army.

“Perhaps these impenitent mischief makers need to be schooled to understand that the NA is not a conscript Army and that recruitment into the NA is voluntary with extant policy on discharge and retirement of soldiers and officers respectively, like other organizations.

“This provides its personnel the opportunity to apply for voluntary discharge, when they deem fit and meet the terms and conditions as stipulated in the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service soldiers/ratings/airmen (Revised) 2017.

“It is thus, the inalienable right of a personnel to voluntarily or on medical grounds apply for discharge, if they meet the terms. It is therefore not an aberration that the COAS granted approval for 91 NA/32/4792 WO NDAGANA ISHIAKU and 242 others to voluntarily discharge from the NA, as being unprofessionally manipulated by some media.“ The statement is partly read.

Nwachukwu added that given the trait of the publisher of the ill-fated report, such misguided facts were targeted at diminishing the high morale of armies by downplaying recent critical interventions by the Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Faruk Yahaya on troops’ welfare, which included car loans, housing loans, extensive construction of new accommodation, massive renovation of old and dilapidated accommodation, among others.

“These interventions evidently account for troops’ game changing onslaught in the North East. It must also be mentioned, that the quantum of equipment that have been injected into the theatres and prompt payment of operational allowances, have all turned the tide against the insurgents.

“Also worthy of note is the welfare flight for troops, which has significantly reduced the burden of troops travelling in and out of the theatres, in addition to huge commitment on the medical needs of wounded-in-action soldiers and the barracks communities.

“Equally important, is the fact that troops are now being regularly and consciously rotated from the frontline, hence, issues of overstay and battle fatigue are gradually being overcome. Suffice to say, that some of these recently discharged soldiers are beneficiaries of these giant strides.” he added.