By Kingsley OMONOBI, Abuja
Aftermath of the several ultimatums issued by the House of Representatives Committee on Defence to the service chiefs to withdraw letters of retirements issued to 79 officers recently retired from service and the subsequent intervention of the minister of Defence, Adetokumbo Kayode through the setting of an independent committee to investigate accusations of unjust and premature retirements and non promotion, it has emerged that authorities of both the Nigerian army and the Nigerian Navy whose personnel were mostly affected, followed due process in their actions.
Recall that several petitions were sent by most of the affected officers to the House Committee on Defence, prompting the committee, through its chairman, Hon. Oluwale Oke to call on the services to reverse the retirements while at the same time issuing summons to the service chiefs to appear before the house.

However, the committee set up by the minister of defence and chaired by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin after its sittings have come out with the verdict that none of the officers involved was unduly treated or was denied his rights in the conduct of the retirements exercise. The report was submitted yesterday.

Speaking at the report presentation, Air Marshal Petinrin thanked the minister for the opportunity given him and his team to carry out such a challenging assignment pointing out that “his Committee carefully went through the petitions and were able to come to the conclusion that it is not only vacancy that determines promotion, there are other primary and necessary conditions for consideration by the board before promotion is effected”.

He said a board sits yearly in this regard and considers those who are passing out from the National Defence College and National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and not quarterly as alleged by the petitioners.

Explaining that notification of retirement is a normal procedure in the Armed Forces and that age ceiling is also considered primary, Air Marshal Petinrin said it is only when one is in the service that he is considered fit for promotion by the board.

He added that “having looked at what was done by the Services as against the allegations by the petitioners; nothing was illegally done as due process was followed in line with the services laid down rules and procedure”.

Receiving the report, the Minister of Defence, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, in company of his Minister of State, Alhaji Murtala Shehu Yar’adua, commended Air Marshal Petinrin’s Committee for a job well done.

Prince Kayode disclosed that the issue of presentation of candidates for retirements and promotion is strictly an administrative matter which at all times should follow due process adding that the Committee’s diligent and thorough job with all its recommendations will be considered in line with the set standard in the best interest of the Services.