No fewer than 1,008 soldiers have resigned from the Nigerian Army over the past four years, raising concerns about the possible underlying issues driving this trend.
This figure, gathered from media reports, covers the period from 2020 to 2024, and includes soldiers who left the service before reaching the mandatory retirement age or completing the required years of service.
In the most recent wave of departures, 196 soldiers resigned from the Nigerian Army in August 2024. This follows the approval by the army for the voluntary retirement of 59 soldiers in 2023, and similar resignations of 261 soldiers in 2022, 127 in 2021, and 365 in 2020.
The resignation letters of the 196 soldiers, dated August 23, 2024, and signed by Brigadier O.H. Musa, directed the soldiers to proceed on terminal leave starting from November 1, 2024, with their official disengagement set for November 30, 2024.
The letter stated, “In accordance with the provisions of References A and B, the COAS [Chief of Army Staff] 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 November 24 while their disengagement date takes effect from 30 November 24.”
The letter further requested that the soldiers’ units ensure the completion and submission of necessary forms by September 6, 2024.
In response to this significant turnover, the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, emphasized that service in the Nigerian Army is voluntary, not by conscription. He acknowledged that while some soldiers left for medical reasons, others did so for personal reasons.
“Though I do not have the exact details of yearly retirements or discharge of personnel currently, I can say that officers and soldiers are processed for retirement or discharge by time, based on laid down criteria and provisions of the terms and conditions of service of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, especially those who have served out their mandatory 35 years of service,” Nwachukwu said.
He added, “A few retire or discharge on medical grounds, while very few seek discharge voluntarily for personal reasons. Retiring or discharging from active service is, therefore, not a strange phenomenon, as this is also obtainable in other local and international security and civil organizations. I must add quickly that service in the Nigerian Army is not by conscription.”
The reasons behind the increasing number of resignations remain a subject of speculation, with some attributing it to challenging working conditions, inadequate welfare, and the intense demands of military service, particularly in the face of on-going security challenges in Nigeria.
However, the Army maintains that the resignations are routine and within the expected norms of military service.
