The Nigerian Army, NA, has responded to media reports that the 243 soldiers who voluntarily applied to be discharged from the Army did so on grounds of alledged corruption, low morale and poor service conditions.
The Army’s response was contained in a statement issued on Saturday, 20 August, 2022, by its Public Relations Director, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu.
TheFact Daily reports that the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, had on Monday, 15 August, in a memo signed on his behalf by Colonel S.S. Ahmed, granted approval for the disengagement of 91 NA/32/4792 WO Ndagana Ishiaku – CLK SD A1 and 242 other soldiers who had voluntarily applied for same.
However, an online news medium, Sahara Reporters, reported that some of the affected soldiers who spoke to them cited loss of interest, intimidation by superiors, corruption in the army, and low morale, as their reasons for resignation.
The Army, responding to the report, which it labelled as “nothing but a concoction of the imagination of the unrepentant enemies of the nation and mischief makers”, urged the public to ignore it in its entirety, adding that it was a distraction, “and another failed attempt at dampening the morale and fighting will of the loyal, dedicated and patriotic fighting force of the NA”.
Nwachukwu further stated that, like other organizations, recruitment into the Nigerian Army is voluntary with extant policy on discharge and retirement of soldiers and officers respectively. Consequently, personnel have 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”, he said.
The NA said, the report was aimed at deflating the high morale of the troops by downplaying the Army Chief’s critical interventions on troops’ general welfare, and in the theatres of operation, as well as the quantum of equipment that have been injected into the theatres and prompt payment of operational allowances to sustain the heightening morale of troops. These interventions, the Army said, evidently account for troops’ game changing onslaught in the NothEast.
Yahaya, while congratulating the discharging personnel for their gallantry, patriotism, loyalty and courage while in service, and wishing them the very best as they successfully exit active service from the NA, also reiterated his avowed determination to continue to have direct impact on the welfare and wellbeing of both serving and retired personnel.
He gave assurances that the retirees would soon have a farewell luncheon organised by their various Commanders, “as it is the practice in the NA since Gen. Yahaya took over command”.
It was gathered that the soldiers were asked to proceed on terminal leave WEF 15, January 23, while their disengagement date takes effect from 15 February 23 in accordance with the Nigerian Army Administrative Policy and Procedures No 27 Paragraphs 3 and 4.
