Jonathan’s ADC among officers fired by Army

There was shock in the Nigerian Army, with
some hinting of ethnic and religious cleansing, as
close to 200 officers including major generals
were retired, on Friday, following what the
authorities said was a consequence of service
exigencies.

Several generals were said to have reported for
work with zeal on Friday with no inkling that
their fate had been decided by the Army
Council, only to be given letters which turned
out to be retirement letters.

A sizeable number of those retired are said to
be those that held operational positions like
Brigade Commanders, Commanding Officers and
other sensitive positions during the 2015 general
elections, as well as those that participated in the
war against terror, now christened ‘Operation
Lafiya Dole’.

Others allegedly had one or two roles to play in
the procurement of army equipment and other
logistics and may have been indicted by the Chief
of Army Staff’s Committee that investigated
arms, logistics and other procurements dating
back to the tenure of former COAS, Generals
Owoye Azazi, Abdurahman Dambazau, Azubuike
Ihejirika and KTJ Minimah.

Some of the generals, who Sunday Vanguard
gathered were in the list, include Major General
MY Ibrahim, a former GOC 7 Division, Maiduguri,
Major General Fatai Ali, a former Chief of
Training and Operations, Army Headquarters,
Major General Ilo, GOC 2 Division, Ibadan,
Major General SD Aliyu, former DA China, Brig-
General Lawson, Defence Adviser China,
Brigadier General Mustapha Onoiveta, a former
ADC to the late President Yar’Adua, Brigadier
General Dahiru Abdusalami, Brigade
Commander, Jos, Brigadier General Bello, Acting
Director, Operations, and former ADC to ex-
President Goodluck Jonathan, Col Ojogbane
Adegbe.

A statement from Army headquarters, signed by
the Acting Director, Army Public Relations on the
retirements and released at 12. 45am, on
Friday, read, “The Nigerian Army wishes to
inform the general public that quite a number of
senior officers of the Nigerian Army were
retired from service yesterday.

"Those retired were mainly some Major
Generals, Brigadier Generals, Colonels,
Lieutenant Colonels and a Major.

"Their retirement was based on Service
exigencies. It should be recalled that not too
long ago some officers were investigated for
being partisan during the 2015 general elections.

Similarly, the investigation by the Presidential
Committee investigating Defence Contracts
revealed a lot.

"Some officers have already been arraigned in
court by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC). “People should therefore not
read this out of context. “The military must
remain apolitical and professional at all times”.

See list of some of the affected officers below:
1. Maj Gen FO Ali.
2. Maj Gen EG Atewe.
3. Maj Gen Ejemai.
4. Maj Gen MY Ibrahim.
5. Maj Gen IN Ijioma.
6. Maj Gen Koleoso.
7. Maj Gen PAT Akem.
8. Maj Gen LC Ilo.
9. Maj Gen SD Aliyu.
10. Brig Gen Onibasa.
11. Brig Gen IM Lawson.
12. Brig Gen D Abdusalam.
13. Brig Gen Bashir Mormoni.
14. Brig Gen ASH Sahaad.
15. Brig Gen Koko Essien.
16. Brig Gen MD Onoiveta.
17. Brig Gen LM Bello.
18. Brig Gen MG Ali.
19. Brig Gen Oyefesobi.
20. Brig Gen Ogidi.
21. Brig Gen Fiboinumama.
22. Brig Gen Agachi.
23. Col OU Nwankwo.
24. Col Adegbe.
25. Col DR Hassan.
26. Col TT Minima.
27. Col CK Ukoha.
28. Col FD Kayode.
29. Col Achinze.
30. Lt Col Oladuntoye.
31. Lt Col Adinmoha.
32. Lt Col CO Amadi.
33. Lt Col Baba Ochanpa.
34. Lt Col Dazang.
35. Lt Col TE Arigbe.
36. Lt Col Egemole.
37. Lt Col A Suleiman.
38. Lt Col A Mohammed.
39. Lt Col AS Mohammed.
40. Lt Col Enemchukwu.
41. Maj TA Williams.