Over 1,000 Soldiers Resign From Nigerian Army In Four Years, Report Reveals

Over 1,000 Soldiers Resign From Nigerian Army In Four Years, Report Reveals

Over the past four years, at least 1,008 soldiers have resigned from the Nigerian Army, according to media reports from 2020 to 2024. In 2023, the Army approved the retirement of 59 soldiers. This year alone, 196 soldiers resigned in August, following 261 in 2022, 127 in 2021, and 365 in 2020…….CONTINUE READING 

Many of these soldiers had not reached retirement age or completed their mandatory years of service. In a disengagement letter dated August 23, signed by Brigadier O.H. Musa, the 196 soldiers who resigned were instructed to commence their terminal leave on November 1, with their official disengagement date set for November 30.

The letter stated, “In line with the provisions of References A and B, the COAS approved the voluntary discharge of the aforementioned soldiers and 195 others listed in Annex A. They are to proceed on terminal leave from November 1, with their discharge effective from November 30. Units are to ensure these soldiers complete and submit the necessary forms by September 6.”

In response to the high turnover, Director of Army Public Relations Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu noted that service in the Nigerian Army is not compulsory. He explained that some soldiers leave for medical reasons, while others do so for personal reasons. Onyema added, “I don’t have the exact figures for yearly retirements or discharges, but soldiers and officers are processed for retirement or discharge based on established criteria and service terms. Retiring or discharging is common in security and civil organizations worldwide. Service in the Nigerian Army is voluntary, not by conscription.”