The former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, alongside the outgoing Chiefs of Army, Air Force, and Naval Staff, will each retire with significant benefits following their removal by President Bola Tinubu.
Each retired officer will take home one bulletproof SUV and a Prado Jeep, or equivalent backup vehicle, maintained and replaced every four years by their respective services.
This is according to the 2024 Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (HTACOS), signed by Tinubu. The retired officers are also entitled to $20,000 annually for medical expenses.
The confidential document, obtained by another online media group – the Sunday Leadership, details entitlements for generals and senior officers leaving service, including domestic aides, security personnel, drivers, firearms, and free medical cover in Nigeria and abroad.
Details of the Retirement Packages
For service chiefs, the benefits include five domestic workers (cooks, stewards, and a gardener), one Aide-de-Camp, one special assistant, nine standard guards, three service drivers, a service orderly, and escorts as needed.
They may retain personal military uniforms and firearms. Lieutenant-Generals receive one Toyota Hilux and one Land Cruiser, two cooks, two stewards, four residential guards, and free medical care up to $20,000 per year.
Lower-ranking officers enjoy scaled packages depending on rank, with Major-Generals entitled to $15,000 medical cover, and one-star officers receiving $10,000 annually.
Ripple Effects Across Military Hierarchy
The retirement of these service chiefs is expected to trigger a wave of voluntary and forced exits among senior generals, particularly those from Courses 39, 40, and 41 of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Military sources indicate that over 60 generals may leave to allow the new service chiefs to assume full command, creating a significant financial commitment for the Federal Government.
President Tinubu appointed General Olufemi Oluyede as the new Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General W. Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral I. Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff.
Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye retained his position as Chief of Defence Intelligence. The Senate is expected to commence screening of the new appointees this week, behind closed doors.
Strategic Realignment for National Security
Former Chairman of the Special Presidential Investigative Panel, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, described the reshuffle as a strategic attempt to strengthen security and governance.
“The shake-up and introduction of a new team — reinvigorated and with a fresh lease of life — aims to ensure that the security challenges which have grappled and confronted the country are dealt with decisively,” he said.
Obono-Obla added that the reshuffle also balances geopolitical interests and addresses potential flashpoints where political marginalisation has historically emerged.
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