The immediate past Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah (rtd), has said that he was not
given the privilege of knowing when he was to be disengaged or sacked, in view of his position as Army Chief.
He said unlike other officers and soldiers,
who are informed of their pending disengagement some six months to
the time, “ours is radio announcement. You don’t enjoy such privilege.”
Minimah, who spoke Thursday at the Army Headquarters (AHQ), Abuja, while handing over to his successor, Major General Tukur Buratai, also noted that he was leaving the Nigerian Army a fulfilled and happy officer, having successfully
arrested the imminent drift “towards chaos” in the Army, occasioned by cases of cowardice and indiscipline by some officers and soldiers.
This is as the new COAS, has warned officers and soldiers against disloyalty, vowing to institute and sustain discipline as a core value.
Minimah, who expressed satisfaction that he was able to lead the Army to sufficiently degrade Boko Haram and
reduce “them to a band of criminals
and petty thieves”, added that all Nigerian territories, which were seized by the sect, in the wake of their annexation campaign, were recovered by troops.
His words: “When I hear officers and soldiers complain about their disengagement – writing letters for extension and petition – I say theirs is a privilege, because they have six months notice to plan to disengage. But, ours is radio announcement. You don’t enjoy
such privilege.
“As I handover today, I am happy to inform you that, the Boko Haram Terrorists insurgency is at the throes of a
certain defeat.
“During my tenure, we were able to reclaim all territories earlier lost to the terrorists, sufficiently degrade their potency and reduced them to a band of criminals and petty thieves. We were also able to stabilise the situation in the North
Central zone,” he noted.
Speaking on the challenges that he was
confronted with upon assumption of office eighteen months ago, the
former Army Chief said: “Barracks
were sacked at random, weapons and ammunition carted away and vulnerable civilians wantonly killed by the terrorists. The morale of our troops was at its lowest ebb. Soldiers regularly fled the battlefield on the slightest indication of an approaching adversary.
“Sadly, the nation began to loose confidence in its Army and military. The situation was no less grim in the North Central and North Western regions where armed bandits, cattle rustlers and ethnic militia held sway.
“These and many other challenges, were some of the obstacles we had to surmount under very difficult
circumstances.
He further said that “Some may adjudge us as being too strict, especially in dealing with cases of cowardice and
indiscipline in the field. But we had to do what we must to arrest the drift towards chaos that the Army was heading.
“I am happy that the result in the field today justifies our actions. Today, I am leaving behind an Army that can hold its own against any adversary without batting any inch.”
Also speaking in a brief remarks, Buratai
harped on discipline, warning that “discipline must be maintained in a higher standard.”
While paying tribute to his predecessor,
Buratai, who is the 20th COAS, added: “I have been admiring the outgoing COAS since his time in the academy. I am also grateful to you because my posting to the MNJTF is a posting that really brought me out and I must thank you sir for bringing me out to the international stage.
“I must commend you for the sense of
discipline and professionalism you have introduced to the Nigerian Army through various court-martials…We will make sure that we will not relent on discipline and that the highest form of discipline is maintained in the Army. I want also to ensure that our armed forces and soldiers remain loyal to the constituted
authorities.”
Meanwhile, New Telegraph has learnt that the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd),
handed over to his successor, Major
General Abayomi Olonishakin, in an event that took place without media coverage.
A military source said the manner of his and other former Service Chiefs’ sack, may have irked the retired four-star General.
New Telegraph had reported exclusively that the former CDS, got news of his sack via television announcement; the sack caught him in his office.
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Major General Chris Olukolade, who confirmed the manner Badeh handed over, however, said that a formal hand-over was being planned for
Tuesday.
given the privilege of knowing when he was to be disengaged or sacked, in view of his position as Army Chief.
He said unlike other officers and soldiers,
who are informed of their pending disengagement some six months to
the time, “ours is radio announcement. You don’t enjoy such privilege.”
Minimah, who spoke Thursday at the Army Headquarters (AHQ), Abuja, while handing over to his successor, Major General Tukur Buratai, also noted that he was leaving the Nigerian Army a fulfilled and happy officer, having successfully
arrested the imminent drift “towards chaos” in the Army, occasioned by cases of cowardice and indiscipline by some officers and soldiers.
This is as the new COAS, has warned officers and soldiers against disloyalty, vowing to institute and sustain discipline as a core value.
Minimah, who expressed satisfaction that he was able to lead the Army to sufficiently degrade Boko Haram and
reduce “them to a band of criminals
and petty thieves”, added that all Nigerian territories, which were seized by the sect, in the wake of their annexation campaign, were recovered by troops.
His words: “When I hear officers and soldiers complain about their disengagement – writing letters for extension and petition – I say theirs is a privilege, because they have six months notice to plan to disengage. But, ours is radio announcement. You don’t enjoy
such privilege.
“As I handover today, I am happy to inform you that, the Boko Haram Terrorists insurgency is at the throes of a
certain defeat.
“During my tenure, we were able to reclaim all territories earlier lost to the terrorists, sufficiently degrade their potency and reduced them to a band of criminals and petty thieves. We were also able to stabilise the situation in the North
Central zone,” he noted.
Speaking on the challenges that he was
confronted with upon assumption of office eighteen months ago, the
former Army Chief said: “Barracks
were sacked at random, weapons and ammunition carted away and vulnerable civilians wantonly killed by the terrorists. The morale of our troops was at its lowest ebb. Soldiers regularly fled the battlefield on the slightest indication of an approaching adversary.
“Sadly, the nation began to loose confidence in its Army and military. The situation was no less grim in the North Central and North Western regions where armed bandits, cattle rustlers and ethnic militia held sway.
“These and many other challenges, were some of the obstacles we had to surmount under very difficult
circumstances.
He further said that “Some may adjudge us as being too strict, especially in dealing with cases of cowardice and
indiscipline in the field. But we had to do what we must to arrest the drift towards chaos that the Army was heading.
“I am happy that the result in the field today justifies our actions. Today, I am leaving behind an Army that can hold its own against any adversary without batting any inch.”
Also speaking in a brief remarks, Buratai
harped on discipline, warning that “discipline must be maintained in a higher standard.”
While paying tribute to his predecessor,
Buratai, who is the 20th COAS, added: “I have been admiring the outgoing COAS since his time in the academy. I am also grateful to you because my posting to the MNJTF is a posting that really brought me out and I must thank you sir for bringing me out to the international stage.
“I must commend you for the sense of
discipline and professionalism you have introduced to the Nigerian Army through various court-martials…We will make sure that we will not relent on discipline and that the highest form of discipline is maintained in the Army. I want also to ensure that our armed forces and soldiers remain loyal to the constituted
authorities.”
Meanwhile, New Telegraph has learnt that the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd),
handed over to his successor, Major
General Abayomi Olonishakin, in an event that took place without media coverage.
A military source said the manner of his and other former Service Chiefs’ sack, may have irked the retired four-star General.
New Telegraph had reported exclusively that the former CDS, got news of his sack via television announcement; the sack caught him in his office.
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Major General Chris Olukolade, who confirmed the manner Badeh handed over, however, said that a formal hand-over was being planned for
Tuesday.
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