Reps Move to Halt Nigerian Army's Early Retirement Policy

The Nigerian House of Representatives is taking action to stop the Nigerian Army's policy that automatically merges years of service for officers, which could result in early retirements and a shortage of experienced personnel. This motion was introduced by Adamawa lawmaker Zakaria Nyampa, who emphasized the need for a review of the policy.

The current practice counts years spent in university education as part of the service period, which Nyampa argues is inconsistent with military service definitions and violates principles of fair labor as outlined in the Labour Act. The lawmakers expressed concerns that this policy undermines morale within the officer corps and could lead to increased recruitment costs and a loss of experienced personnel at a time when the Army faces multiple security challenges.

The House urged the Nigerian Army Council to discontinue this automatic merger and to harmonize service reckonings across the military branches. They also called for a legal review to prevent potential litigation arising from the policy.