In conformity with military practise,some top ranking officers in the same service or higher course with newly appointed service chiefs may be retired from the armed forces.
As a result about 20 top military personnel will be retiring from the service soon.
The new appointees include Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Major-General I. Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air-Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao.
Shortly after the appointment of the service chiefs, it was gathered that the development might force no fewer than 20 generals in regiment courses 34 and 35 to retire. Attahiru, who is a member of Course 35, while Irabor is a member of Course 34.
The former Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar have all subsequently left the service.
This means that Lt. Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, the Chief of Training and Operations, Army headquarters could be among those that will retire from the service. Adeosun was promoted in 2019 to the same rank as Buratai by the President, which sparked speculation that he might replace the former Chief of Army Staff.
A reliable source said many of the senior officers might retire, but the service years of some of them might be extended by the new chief of army staff. This is because he would need their experience in the ongoing counterinsurgency campaign in the North-East.
As part of the fight against insurgency and other security threats, some of them might be posted to the defence headquarters, where they would not be reporting to the chief of army staff.
