APC Support backs appointment of new Army Chief, retirement of Senior Officers

By Our Reporter

Abuja (Precise Post) – The recent appointment of Major General Farouk Yahaya (from Sokoto) as the replacement for the late Chief Of Army Staff, Lt- Gen Ibrahim Attahiru has generated heated debate with many saying it ought to have been given to someone from the south and as a starting point towards addressing the lopsided appointment of the present administration.

It has also attracted criticisms about the number of top military officers that have to be retired out of service from the already understaffed Institution because of the appointment.

As it’s done in the past, a good number of Major Generals will be retired due to the appointment of the new Chief of Army Staff.
They are of Courses 35 and 36, while he is of Course 37.
It will be an anomaly for them to remain in the Army and serve under and be saluting thier junior, thus they will have to proceed on compulsory Retirement.

However, in a swift reaction, the APC Support group has risen in defence of the appointment arguing that All the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) from 1999 were appointed as Major-Generals and then promoted to Lieutenant-Generals with statistics of states where (COAS) have hailed from.

According to APC Support, 9 states have produced Chief of Army Staff since 1999 and they are:

1. Benue
2. Delta
3. Kaduna
4. Bayelsa
5. Kano
6. Abia
7. Rivers
8. Borno
9. Sokoto.

Kaduna State has produced the highest number of CoAS since 1999 – (2).

The North has produced 7 CoAS, while the South has produced 4.

All the CoAS from 1999 were appointed as Major-Generals, then promoted to Lieutenant-Generals.

When this happens, all the officers in rank ahead of them were retired because of the military’s tradition of seniority.

Here are all the CoAS from 1999, their states of origin & the years they spent in office:

Victor Malu – Benue (1999-2001)

Alex Ogomudia – Delta (2001 – 2003)

Martin Luther Agwai – Kaduna (2003-2006)

Owoye Andrew Azazi – Bayelsa (2006 – 2007)

Luka Yusuf – Kaduna (2007 – 2008)

Abdulrahman Dambazau – Kano (2008 – 2010)

Azubuike Ihejirika – Abia (2010 – 2014)

Kenneth Minimah – Rivers (2014 – 2015)

Tukur Buratai – Borno (2015 – 2021)

Attahiru Ibrahim – Kaduna (2021 – 2021)

Farouk Yahaya – Sokoto (2021 – till date)

Southwest is amongst the geopolitical zones yet to produce a Chief of Army Staff (CoAS).

However, with the appointment of the new Chief of Army Staff, the following will now proceed on compulsory retirement leave:

BREAKING NEWS

Number of Major Generals that will be retired due to the appointment of the new Chief of Army Staff.
They are of Courses 35 and 36, while he is of Course 37.
It will be an anomaly for them to remain in the Army and serve under and be saluting thier junior, thus they will have to proceed on compulsory Retirement.

AS Maikobi – Major General
DC Onyemulu – Major General
HI Bature – Major General
A Bande – Major General
SA Yaro – Major General
LA Adegboye – Major General
OI Uzamere – Major General
J Sarham- Major General
OF Azinta – Major General
JB Olawumi – Major General
CO Ude – Major General
G Oyefesobi – Major General
BM Shafa- Major General
NA Angbazo – Major General
BA Akinroluyo – Major General
HR Momoh – Major General
KAY Isiyaku – Major General
AT Hamman – Major General
MO Uzoh – Major General
AM Aliyu – Major General
CC Okonkwo – Major General
MA Masanawa – Major General
JI Unuigbe – Major General
JJ Ogunlade – Major General
AN Dauda – Major General
AA Jidda – Major General
YI Shalangwa – Major General
IN Yusuf – Major General
JGK Myam – Major General
SA Adebayo – Major General
GA Umelo – Major General
PB Fakrogha – Major General
VO Ezugwu – Major General
AB Omozoje – Major General
EN Njoku – Major General
SO Olabanji – Major Genera;
GB Audu – Major General
OA Akintade – Major General
OT Akinjobi – Major General
BA Isandu – Major General
AM Alabi – Major General
AA Adesope – Major General
OW Ali – Major General
MG Ali – Major General
SS Araoye – Major General
GS Abdullahi – Major General
CG Musa – Major General
US Mohammed – Major General
KI Mukhtar – Major General
KN Garba – Major General
DH Ali-Keffi – Major General
EV Onumajuru – Major General
KI Yusuf – Major General
BR Sinjen – Major General
TA Lagbaja – Major General
UU Bassey – Major General
S Dahiru – Major General
UA Yusuf – Major General
KO Aligbe – Major General
AK Ibrahim – Major General
LA Fejokwu – Major General
AB Ibrahim – Major General
JO Ochai – Major General
EAP Undiandeye – Major General
OR Aiyenigba – Major General
GU Chibuisi – Major General
SG Mohammed – Major General
IM Jallo – Major General