Corps Commander, Infantry Corps, Jaji, Major General Mohammed D. Isah with his colleagues
Isah’s retirement, according to top military sources,
might not be unconnected with the 2015 agenda of the present
administration.
He was recently removed as Commander of the Corps over the twin bomb blasts that occurred in a church within the cantonment.
He was retired with other 10 major-generals, 25 brigadier generals and 12 colonels.
A list obtained exclusively by Blueprint
shows that the affected major generals include Akinyemi, Okunbor, Obi,
Amao, JO Shoboiki, Idoko, Chong, SY Bello, OO Oshinowo, MA Nasamu and
JAO Ochoga.
In the brigadier generals cadre were Amao, ES
Ibokette, MB Alli, MD Yusuf, AT Usman, PT Boroh, LO Adeoye, A
Robinson, ST Baidom, NA Imam, MK Yake, S Bello, LB Yusuf, DB
Shaljaba, SM Magaji, and JO Osuji.
The rest are Aderibigbe, G Lawal, BF Ayeni, OA
Osenwota, Akintola, JA Adejoh, Dadangarba, Nyadar and A Samaila. Also
retired were Colonels Gwandu, MJ Onoja, BI Nwozor, MA Lasisi, MA
Gbadebo, HS Aliyu, S Ado, JB Oluwayose, Sambo Diri, B Abdulmalik, SA
Nudamajo and OK Alaga.
While the retirement of Oshinowo, who is currently
the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division, Enugu and Ochoga
takes effect from January 2013, all other major-generals are expected
to leave in February same year.
Even though this is a routine exercise within the military, defence sources told Blueprint that
the retirement of Isah, the former Commander, Infantry Corps
Headquarters, and the Special Adviser to the National Security Adviser
on Counter Terrorism, Major General Sarkin Yaki Bello, is of concern to
stakeholders in the sector.
The source stated: “You know, both senior officers
were penciled down to take over from present Chief of Army Staff,
Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika. Today , they are among the best
officers in Nigerian Army. It is all elimination series towards 2015.
These two senior officers, if they remain in the army, they constitute a
stumbling block to the agenda of President Jonathan of having his
kinsman, Major General KTJ Minimah, GOC 81 Division, Lagos, to head the
army.”
Our correspondent gathered that Isah’s request for
extension was not responded to by the military authority before the list
came out.
“The senior officer asked for extension. But there
was no response from the army headquarters. And then a letter of
retirement was presented to him, which he refused to sign. It is very
suspicious, that he is being retired alongside other major generals that
were due for retirement since last year.
“For instance, Major General Okunbor, who is the
Commandant of TRADOC, Minna, was due for retirement since 2011, but the
military authority did not retire him until now. So it is clear, the
real target in this retirement is MD Isah and SY Bello.
“Next year, other qualified officers from the north,
who are also likely to take over from Ihejirika will also be asked to
leave service. All these officers are junior to the COAS. The culture of
wastage is not good for Nigeria. If you look through all those retired,
it is not on the basis of any offence, only geopolitical
considerations. They have all done their national defence courses,”
added the source.
Blueprint
had reported exclusively how political permutation
and control of top military hierarchy towards 2015 delayed the
appointment of service chiefs, before the appointment of the current
ones.
President Goodluck Jonathan left Iherijika as Chief
of Army Staff and looked to the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force
for ethnic and geopolitical balance, in order to avoid any qualified
senior officer from the north taking over as COAS. Two of those
officers, whose names featured prominently on the list of likely
candidates for COAS, were SY Bello and MD Isah.
Blueprint
had also exclusively reported the politics of the
Jaji bombing and how military authority ignored warnings by the retiring
ex-commander of the Infantry Corps.
WP-Genius
No comments:
Post a Comment