No fewer than 196 soldiers serving in the North-East and other operational areas have applied for voluntary retirement to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja.
This move comes as the military continues to face escalating security challenges across various regions of the country.
Sources revealed to SaharaReporters that many of the soldiers who are resigning have expressed interest in joining foreign military forces, including the British Army, Ukrainian Army, and other Commonwealth nations.
According to a list obtained on Saturday, the soldiers seeking retirement are primarily from junior ranks and represent various army formations across the country.
The Chief of Army Staff has since approved their official disengagement.
The list of departing soldiers did not specify whether they were leaving due to voluntary retirement or medical reasons.
However, none of the soldiers had reached the retirement age or completed the mandatory years of service.
The approval for their voluntary disengagement, dated August 23, was signed by Brigadier OH Musa.
There have been allegations of corruption within the Nigerian Army, which some soldiers have cited as a reason for overstaying in the North-East.
According to some of the soldiers, the army is plagued by deep-seated corruption, which they claim has hindered the fight against terrorism in the North-East.
They expressed frustration over being forced to confront Boko Haram militants, stating that their low morale and reluctance to continue fighting have recently enabled terrorists to overrun several military camps.
The soldiers also complained of abandonment, accusing military authorities of keeping them at the war front beyond their approved deployment period.
Reports recently highlighted a growing trend of soldiers resigning due to poor welfare, inadequate equipment, and a lack of motivation within the Nigerian Army.
Several sources who spoke to the newspaper voiced their frustration over the Nigerian government’s failure to provide decent living conditions, modern weaponry, and adequate compensation to effectively combat the various non-state actors wreaking havoc across the country.
“A set of 27 personnel are leaving and this set is only medical corps. Infantry corps and armoured corps are still coming. So many more will leave.
“Soldiers are leaving because the work is no longer sustainable. People are running every day to join British Army, Ukraine, Russia, Commonwealth army and the likes. That’s what is happening now,” one of the sources in the Nigerian military had informed SaharaReporters.
“Even the planned protest, many soldiers are praying it should happen,” another source added.
