Army Clarifies 196 Soldiers’ Resignations Not Due to Corruption or Poor Welfare

The Nigerian Army has rejected recent claims of widespread resignations due to poor welfare, calling them unfounded and irrational.

The Army emphasized its ongoing commitment to personnel welfare and condemned attempts to distort the truth for sensationalism.

The clarification came as the Army approved terminal leave for 196 soldiers, effective November this year, following their resignation requests to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja.

These soldiers, mainly junior officers from various formations, were notified of their approval through an official memo dated August 23, signed by Brigadier General OH Musa, with the leave taking effect on November 30, 2024.

The memo states: “In accordance with the provisions of References A and B, the COAS vide Reference C approved the voluntary discharge of the above-named soldier and 195 others listed in Annex A. The soldiers are to proceed on terminal leave with effect from 1 Nov 24 while their disengagement date takes effect from 30 Nov 24.

“Accordingly, I am directed to respectfully request you to cause the affected soldiers’ units to ensure that the discharging soldiers complete the following forms as enclosed and forward the same to this Department no later than 6 Sep 24”.

Amid the resignation reports, there were claims that the soldiers were leaving to join foreign military services due to poor welfare in the Nigerian Army. However, the Army has dismissed these claims as false.

Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Public Relations, stated that recent media reports alleging mass resignations over corruption and low morale are misleading and intended to undermine the Army’s reputation.

The Army emphasized that service is voluntary, allowing personnel to leave for various reasons, including personal choice, medical issues, or other career opportunities.

It criticized the media reports for lacking due diligence and noted that the recruitment process remains highly competitive.

The Army assured that personnel welfare is a top priority under Lt Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja’s leadership, and the claims of widespread resignations due to welfare problems do not accurately reflect the situation.