The Nigerian Army said on Saturday it noticed recently that the media space, especially social media, has been awash with stories, rumours, and innuendoes about happenings in the Nigerian Army(NA) and that the stories were not true.
Army spokesperson, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu said that Army Operations, Administrative activities are on course, contrary to insinuations in media space that there are vacuum with the absence of Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Lagbaja who is presently on leave.
Nwachukwu made this clarification in a statement on Saturday added that while some of these stories flying about are laughable and deserve no further reference, others have bordered on pure mischief calculated to cause panic and confusion within the rank and file, as well as the general public.
“Specifically, many insinuations about personnel postings, promotions, and even training activities have been raised vis-a-vis the official leave of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). There have even been insinuations that there is a leadership vacuum, with officers confused about what to do. Nothing can be farther from the truth”, he said.
“To be very clear, the Nigerian Army is a highly structured establishment with well-laid-out procedures and processes for dealing with different circumstances.
He said “before proceeding on leave, necessary protocols were put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS, while he is away.”
“This is not peculiar to the Nigerian Army as there have been instances where unforeseen human frailty kept service chiefs away for about three months, and their Chiefs of Policy and Plans held sway in their absence.”
He said “claims of leadership vacuum in the Nigerian Army presently is therefore mere speculation, as all routine and scheduled activities of the Service are on course.”
Major General Nwachukwu explained that in line with its Forecast of Events for 2024, the Nigerian Army recently conducted the Captain-Major Practical Promotion Examination in Akure.
“Subsequently and in line with extant procedures, the Commander Traning and Doctrine Command, Major General Kevin Aligbe, announced the result after due authorisation by the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), who currently answers for the Chief of Army Staff in his absence on leave and medical checkup abroad.
“Additionally, the Master Warrant Officer to Army Warrant Officer Promotion Exercise is currently ongoing in Jos. This follows a similar exercise held for Warrant Officer to Master Warrant Officer (WO-MWO) in Kaduna. The results of these exercises are expected to be released in the coming days, pending final reconciliation between the respective Corps and the Army Headquarters Department of Personnel Management.
He also said that contrary to the insinuation that the absence of the COAS occasioned by his leave, has caused undue delay in the release of the result of the WO-MWO promotion exercise, “the Nigerian Army wishes to clarify that it has never been the practice for the COAS to sign postings or promotions for both officers and soldiers in the Nigerian Army.
“The appropriate departmental chiefs perform these functions routinely. These Departmental Chiefs, demonstrating their unwavering commitment, are fully carrying out their responsibilities in line with the COAS Command Philosophy.”
The Army Headquarters, therefore, enjoins the general public to remain confident in the Nigerian Army and be assured that the Service remains on top of the security situations in the country and is ever ready to defend Nigeria against any aggression on its land territory.
Meanwhile, the Army Headquarters thank all well-meaning Nigerians who have shown genuine concern about Lt Gen TA Lagbaja and have continued to pray for him.
The Army Headquarters assures Nigerians and the international community that all land-related training, operational, and administrative activities are on course and that the COPP(A) is firmly and effectively running the affairs of the Service pending the return of the COAS.