The Interview Editors
The wall of silence and secrecy surrounding the tenure of the current service chiefs appears set to continue into the new year.
The dates when their contracts of service were last extended and the length of renewal are shrouded in secrecy.
The defence headquarters on Thursday declined a request by The Interview for information on the exact status of the current service chiefs and whether there were any plans for changes in top personnel.
President Muhammadu Buhari, on July 13, 2015 appointed General Abayomi Olonisakin as the Chief of Defense Staff. He also appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ekwe Ibas as the Chief of Naval Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar as Chief of Air Staff and Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai as the Chief of Army Staff.
The Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, told The Interview that questions relating to the tenure of service chiefs were best answered by the Presidency.
Nwachukwu said, “You have to place your questions to the Presidency. It is the prerogative of the President to appoint and extend the tenure of service chiefs. It is not the purview of the armed forces to extend the tenures. Please direct your enquirers to the Presidency.”
The Presidency also declined to answer.
If Buratai, the army chief remained in office for another one year or even till November, 2020 when he turns 60, he would surpass the record set by General Sani Abacha, who is Nigeria’s longest serving Chief of Army Staff.
Abacha was chief of staff from August 1985 to August 1990 staying in the position for five years. By July 2020, Buratai would match that feat, having been appointed to his current position in July 2015.
From available information, Lt. Gen. Buratai has already broken the record of Lt.Gen. Theophilus Danjuma who was army chief for four years and three months, serving between July, 1971 and October 1979. In a matter of days, Buratai would also be at par with Maj. Gen. David Ejoor, who today holds a four years and six months record for the second longest serving army chief.
Other than the four mentioned generals, only three more officers have held the position of chief of staff for at least three years or more. Lt. Gen. Salihu Ibrahim was COAS from August 1990 until September 1993. Lt.Gen. Ishaya Bamayi held the post from March 1996 until May 1999. Lt. Gen Martin Agwai held it for exactly three years from June 2003 until June 2006.
In the Air Force, the chief of staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar only needs to remain in office until August 2020 to match the length of service of Air Marshal Jonah who was Chief of Naval Staff for five years and one month from April 2001 until May 2006.
