Retirement Benefits: Service Chiefs To Go Home With Bulletproof SUVs, Prado Jeeps, $60,000 For Medicals

The former Chief of Defence Staff and the two other service chiefs, who were retired from Service by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday, will each go home with one bulletproof SUV and one Prado Jeep, or an equivalent vehicle as a backup.

These vehicles are to be maintained by the respective Services and replaced every four years.

According to the new Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (HTACOS) 2024, signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu — a copy of which was obtained by Sunday LEADERSHIP — the retired officers will also receive $20,000 per year for medical expenses.

The document, marked ‘Restricted’, also outlines the benefits due to retired generals and other senior officers of the Armed Forces upon leaving service.

President Bola Tinubu yesterday removed the service chiefs and appointed their replacements.

The statement announcing their removal, signed by Sunday Dare, the special adviser to the president on media and public communication, said the action was taken to further the federal government’s efforts to strengthen the national security architecture.

The President appointed former Army Chief, General Olufemi Oluyede, as the new Chief of Defence Staff, replacing General Christopher Musa. The new Chief of Army Staff is Major-General W. Shaibu, Air Vice Marshal S. K. Aneke becomes Chief of Air Staff, while Rear Admiral I. Abbas is the new Chief of Naval Staff.

The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E. A. P. Undiendeye, retains his position.

Those sacked alongside General Musa are the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar.

Each of the service chiefs is also entitled to five domestic workers, one security officer, nine standard guards, three service drivers, firearms, and other benefits.

Part of the document reads:

“The following benefits shall be the entitlements of the CDS and Service Chiefs: one bulletproof SUV or equivalent vehicle, to be maintained by the Service and replaced every four years; one Prado Jeep or equivalent backup vehicle; retention of all military uniforms and accoutrements to be worn for appropriate ceremonies; five domestic aides (2 x Service cooks, 2 x stewards, and 1 x civilian gardener); one Aide-de-Camp/Security Officer; one Special Assistant (Lt/Capt or equivalent) or one personal assistant (WO or equivalent); standard guard (9 soldiers); three Service drivers; one Service orderly; escorts (to be provided by appropriate military units/formations as the need arises); retention of personal firearms (to be retrieved by the relevant Service upon the officer’s demise); and free medical cover in Nigeria and abroad.”

According to the document, Lieutenant-Generals and equivalents are entitled to the following: one Toyota Hilux vehicle and one Toyota Land Cruiser or equivalent Jeep of the same value; two cooks, two stewards, four residential guards, one Service orderly, two Service drivers, and free medical care in Nigeria and abroad up to the value of $20,000 per year.

Furthermore, retiring Major-Generals, Brigadier-Generals, or their equivalents will be entitled to: one Toyota Land Cruiser or equivalent vehicle, one cook, one steward, two residential guards, one Service orderly, one Service driver, and free medical cover in Nigeria and abroad up to $15,000 per annum.

Similarly, officers of one-star rank are to enjoy the following: one Toyota Camry or equivalent vehicle, one Service driver, two residential guards, one Service orderly, and free medical cover in Nigeria and abroad up to $10,000 per annum.

Federal Government to Spend More on Other Retiring Generals

Yesterday’s retirement of the service chiefs is expected to trigger voluntary and forced retirements within the military hierarchy, as some senior generals who are contemporaries of the outgoing service chiefs may have to proceed on retirement in line with military tradition.

The new service chiefs, who are members of Course 40 and 41 of the Nigerian Defence Academy, replace their predecessors from Course 39, including the new Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede.

By this appointment, generals from Courses 39, 40, and some from Course 41 across the Services will have to retire, as they are not expected to salute their juniors who have now been elevated above them.

LEADERSHIP Weekend earlier reported that members of Course 39 remain in active service, occupying strategic positions such as Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) at Service Headquarters and Commanders of tri-Service institutions.

Military sources, who initially said more than 50 such generals would have to voluntarily exit the Service to allow the new Service Chiefs to exercise effective control, now say the number could exceed that, since the new Chief of Army Staff is from Course 41.

“We will have more than 60 generals retiring. The new Army Chief is from Course 41. Those in service from Course 39 and even some from 41 will want to retire,” the source said.

With the retirement packages outlined above, the Federal Government will have to provide substantial funds to settle the retirees.

Senate May Confirm Nominations This Week

The Senate joint committee on Defence, Army and Navy is expected to commence the screening exercise of the newly-appointed service chiefs.

It is believed that the president would have written to the Senate at the weekend to intimate its leadership about the fresh appointments.

Their screening is expected to be done behind closed doors.

Expectedly, the nominees are expected to promise to tackle insecurity in the country.

Service Chiefs’ Change Strategic for Tinubu – Obono-Obla

Meanwhile, a former Chairman of the Special Presidential Investigative Panel on Recovery of Public Property (SPIP), Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, has described President Tinubu’s reshuffle of service chiefs as a strategic realignment aimed at entrenching deeper reforms as he moves towards completing his first four-year term.

The former special aassistant to the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari on prosecution added that the change demonstrates a canny mastery of the push and pull of the country’s centripetal and centrifugal forces.

Obono-Obla told LEADERSHIP Sunday that: “It reflects how he (Tinubu) has been able to navigate and manoeuvre through the complexities of governance. After settling into office, he engaged in midterm rumination — pondering and reflecting on the imperative of assembling a new team within the Armed Forces and security apparatuses.”

Obono-Obla explained that the move signals a strategic realignment and that it is time to assess performance in the military and security sectors.

“The shake-up and introduction of a new team — reinvigorated and with a fresh lease of life — aims to ensure that the security challenges which have grappled and confronted the country are dealt with decisively, using new gusto, fresh strategies, and dynamic trajectories.

“Mr President has also subtly used this opportunity to manoeuvre through the nuances and subtleties of the country’s fault lines, which have long dogged its progress.

In doing so, he has sought to balance geopolitical sensibilities and touch all potential flashpoints where cries of political marginalisation often emerge,” he said.