₦200 Billion Showdown: Retired General Takes Army Chiefs To Court

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, on Wednesday heard a multi-billion-naira lawsuit filed by retired Nigerian Army Major General Danjuma Hamisu Ali-Keffi against senior military officials over his compulsory retirement.

The case, marked NICN/48/399/2025, names the Nigerian Army, the Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army Council, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Armed Forces Council, the Minister of Defence, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as the first to seventh respondents.

At the resumed proceedings, the Nigerian Army submitted a statement of defence and raised preliminary objections, arguing that the court lacks jurisdiction over the matter.

The defendants further contended that the suit is statute-barred, asserting that Ali-Keffi failed to appeal his compulsory retirement to the Army Council within the 90-day period mandated under the Armed Forces Act.

The court adjourned the case until April 30, 2026, for the hearing of the preliminary objections.

In his suit, Ali-Keffi challenges what he described as his “dishonourable compulsory retirement,” alleging that he was unlawfully arrested, detained for 64 days, tortured, and denied a fair hearing.

He claims that these actions violated the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Armed Forces Act, and existing military regulations. According to court documents, Ali-Keffi was arrested on October 18, 2021, and detained until December 21, 2021.

He stated that during his detention, he was never formally informed of any allegations, never charged, and never subjected to a court-martial or disciplinary proceedings. Ali-Keffi argued that this violated his constitutional rights to personal liberty (Section 35) and fair hearing (Section 36).

He also alleged that the harsh detention conditions led to a physical collapse requiring three days of hospitalisation, which he described as torture and degrading treatment.

Ali-Keffi, who was appointed in October 2020 by the late President Muhammadu Buhari to head Operation Service Wide—a covert Presidential Task Force—said he had raised concerns over the release of terrorism financing suspects from military custody.

Operation Service Wide comprised military, security, intelligence personnel, and legal officers from the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, and was mandated to arrest and prosecute financiers and sponsors of terrorist organisations.

In a recent interview, Ali-Keffi alleged that all terrorism financing suspects in Army custody were released, and claimed his detention was linked to his stance on the issue. He further stated that following his retirement, he and his family received death threats, forcing them to make at least eight emergency trips to the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia for safety.

The retired general is seeking ₦100 billion in compensatory damages for unlawful arrest, detention, torture, breach of fair hearing, and psychological trauma. He is also claiming ₦100 billion as punitive and exemplary damages for what he described as the “oppressive, arbitrary, and unconstitutional” actions of the defendants.

Additionally, he is seeking ₦120 million in special damages, representing allowances he said would have accrued to him from January 2022 to January 2026, when he would have reached the mandatory retirement age of 60, at ₦2.5 million per month.

Ali-Keffi is also requesting a court order nullifying his compulsory retirement letter and directing that he be considered to have retired voluntarily at age 60. He further seeks full payment of all pensions, gratuities, and terminal benefits due, with 10 percent interest per annum until final liquidation.