Forced retirement: Falana urges Tinubu to reinstate 20 generals, 18 others

 Falana Urges Tinubu to Reinstate 38 Wrongfully Retired Army Officers

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on President Bola Tinubu to reinstate 38 Nigerian Army officers who were prematurely retired eight years ago.

Falana, who serves as legal counsel for the affected officers, urged Tinubu to rectify the injustice, emphasizing that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration ignored both a court ruling and resolutions from the National Assembly that ordered their reinstatement.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos on Wednesday, the human rights lawyer described the officers’ forced retirement as unjust and lacking due process, insisting that they were never found guilty of any offense.

Unjust Dismissal Without Fair Hearing

According to Falana, the Nigerian Army forced the officers into retirement on June 9, 2016, affecting:

• Nine Major Generals

• 11 Brigadier Generals

• Seven Colonels

• 11 Lieutenant Colonels

The military authorities at the time cited allegations of:

• Partisanship during the 2015 general elections

• Involvement in arms procurement fraud

• Threats to national security

However, Falana dismissed these claims, stating that the officers were never given a fair hearing before their dismissal.

Legal and Legislative Orders Ignored

Falana stressed that both the National Industrial Court and the National Assembly ruled in favor of the officers’ reinstatement, but the previous administration refused to comply.

“As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Tinubu must address this grave injustice. The arbitrary retirement of these officers was both illegal and unjustified,” Falana stated.

He further warned that failing to act on the matter could send a negative message to serving military personnel, discouraging them from dedicated service to the nation.

Appeal for Presidential Intervention

Falana confirmed that a formal petition has been sent to President Tinubu through the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), urging the government to uphold justice.

“We have written a detailed letter to the President through the AGF, seeking justice and full reinstatement of these officers. We trust that AGF Fagbemi will do the needful and advise the President accordingly.”

Falana called on President Tinubu to act swiftly, ensuring that the rule of law is upheld and the affected officers receive the justice they deserve.