The recently dismissed Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, along with the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, are set to receive substantial retirement benefits as stipulated under the Armed Forces Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (HTCOS).
Their disengagement followed President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of new service chiefs on Friday, in what the Presidency described as a move to strengthen the nation’s security architecture.
According to the announcement by Sunday Dare, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, the new appointees are General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General W. Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral I. Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff. The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye, retains his position.
Details of the Retirement Package
The retirement entitlements are drawn from the HTCOS, signed by President Tinubu on December 14, 2024, which outlines generous benefits for service chiefs upon retirement.
Each retired service chief is entitled to:
- A bulletproof SUV or equivalent vehicle, maintained and replaced every four years by the military.
- A Peugeot 508 or equivalent backup car.
- Five domestic aides, comprising two cooks, two stewards, and one gardener.
- An aide-de-camp or security officer.
- A personal or special assistant (either a commissioned officer or warrant officer).
- Three service drivers, a service orderly, and a standard guard unit of nine soldiers.
They will also retain all their military uniforms and accoutrements, which they can wear at appropriate ceremonies.
Medical and Security Privileges
The document also provides lifetime free medical care in Nigeria and abroad, with officers of lieutenant-general rank and equivalents entitled to treatment worth up to $20,000 annually. The service chiefs are expected to enjoy higher coverage under this provision.
Additionally, retired officers are permitted to retain their personal firearms, although such weapons are to be retrieved by the military upon their demise.
Restriction on Dual Public-Funded Roles
However, the HTCOS stipulates that these benefits apply only if the retired officers do not accept any other appointment funded from public resources.
If they do take such positions—except when appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria—they will forfeit the full retirement package and instead receive allowances corresponding to their new role.
The policy underscores the Federal Government’s effort to maintain welfare standards for senior military officers while ensuring accountability and alignment with national interests.