• Says only five retiring generals are senior to Minimah
The immediate past Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, has disclosed that the Nigerian Army acquired large amounts of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) popularly known as drone to deal with the contemporary security situation in the country.
Ihejirika disclosed this yesterday during the handover of leadership to the new COAS, Maj-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, at the Army Headquarters, Abuja.
He further revealed that pilots are being trained to handle the drones and assured that with the UAVs under the leadership of Minimah, “terrorists will have no place to hide”.
“…procurement and training of the UAVs…with the introduction of the UAVs, which we have in large numbers, I want to say that Nigerian Army under Minimah, there will be no hiding place for terrorists,” he assured.
The outgoing COAS also clarified the controversy surrounding the alleged elevation of his successor above other 31 Generals that were far his senior in the service.
He noted that only five serving Generals are senior to the incumbent Army Chief, but are already due for retirement and had been communicated before the recent appointment and changes in the armed forces.
He said: “I also want to remark that some papers published recently that 31 Army
Generals might be leaving because of their relative seniority to the new chief.
“It is a fact that only five officers’ runs seniority higher than his up to the time he was appointed. And I want to inform you
that most of these officers; the five I am talking about have submitted their letters of voluntary retirement to me because they feel they should retire at this point in time to make the work of the new chief very easy”.
Ihejirika also, used the opportunity to further clarify issues bordering on allegations of human rights violation by the armed forces during his tenure, especially in Borno State.
He said that Nigerian Army is a highly disciplined organisation, whose officers were trained to obey the Rules of Engagement and that does not encourage its forces to engage in human rights violation.
He further denied any acts of human rights violation by Nigerian armed forces, and advised those who feel contrary to channel their grievances to the appropriate authorities instead of using the media to heat up the polity and create sensationalism.
Source: Thisday
