Fake news, no soldier resigned due to pressure, says COAS

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has said the Army will not stop any soldier that observes the right procedures from leaving the service.

Yahaya disclosed this at the 23rd Combat Service Support Corps Training Week 2022, themed “Building the capacity of the Nigerian Army Combat Service Support Corps in combating contemporary security challenges in joint environment,” held in Lagos.

He said, “Saying a soldier resigned due to pressure, does that make sense?  A Nigerian soldier, a professional soldier resigns because of pressure? It doesn’t make sense.  Our job is designed to have pressure and we are trained all across to have pressure, but the Army and others also have their own terms and conditions of service, they are what are called harmonised terms and conditions of service.

“When you join the Army, it’s voluntary and now there are also conditions at which when you want to do other things also, you can do. For you to leave the Army and do other things, there is a period, it is contained in our books. You apply, stating the reasons why you should leave, and these reasons are considered and granted. There is no constriction whatsoever.

“Such soldiers, who leave, contribute in other fields and with the training and discipline he has got in the Army, anywhere he goes after retirement, he will do well. I challenge you all to check where all our retired soldiers go. They will all be doing well because they have trained with the values and virtues of dedication and commitment and discipline.”

The state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his Chief of Staff, Tayo Ayinde, stated that the state would continue to contribute its quota towards strengthening the capacity of the Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles.

He said, “It is in recognition of the sacrifices by our disciplined Nigerian Army soldiers that Lagos State will continue to find ways and means to contribute its quota toward strengthening the capacity of the Nigerian Army in the discharge of her constitutional roles.

“I would like to publicly acknowledge and thank the Officers and Men of the Nigerian Army for the great work they are doing, in keeping the security and sanity of our nation including other security operations in the Country and Lagos State in particular.

“Hence, there is a need for the Nigerian Army Logistics Corps to work closely with the state agencies involved in logistics in a mutually beneficial relationship as seen in the healthcare domain between the State and the Nigerian Army.”