News
Buhari, Tinubu Forced 500 Generals Out Despite Rising Insurgency
Despite escalating insurgency across the country, no fewer than 500 senior military officers, including Major-Generals, Brigadier-Generals, Rear Admirals, and Air Vice Marshals, have been forced into early retirement following the changes of service chiefs under the Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu administrations.
The mass retirements, spanning the Army, Navy, and Air Force between 2015 and 2023, stemmed from the long-standing military tradition of disengaging senior officers who are either senior to or of the same course as newly appointed service chiefs.
The move, according to the military, is aimed at maintaining discipline, hierarchy, and operational efficiency within the services.
Data collated from media reports indicate that over 500 top officers have quit the services in the past eight years.
However, military insiders asserted that the affected Generals numbered approximately 900 or more. The PUNCH could not immediately confirm the figure as the military authorities could not be reached to authenticate the claim.
The first wave of retirements occurred shortly after former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed new service chiefs in July 2015. They include Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai as Chief of Army Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar as Chief of Air Staff, and Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Chief of Naval Staff.
Over 100 senior Army officers, mainly Major Generals and Brigadier Generals, were forced to retire, while the Navy lost over 20 senior officers, including Commodores and at least one Rear Admiral.
A second phase was recorded in 2021 after Buhari replaced all the service chiefs and appointed a new set-Air Marshal Isiaka Amao (Air Force), late Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru (Army) and Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo (Navy).
That exercise saw about 123 generals exit the Army, while over 50 senior Air Force officers, and another 50 naval officers also left service.
The Army again witnessed another wave in May 2021 following the death of Gen. Attahiru, which led to the appointment of Gen. Farouk Yahaya, who was junior to several serving generals.
His emergence triggered the voluntary retirement of over 20 generals from Courses 35 and 36.
Under President Tinubu, the pattern has continued. Two weeks after he assumed office, the President, on June 19, 2023, appointed new service chiefs, prompting mass retirements across the services.
The appointment of late Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, and Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, as the heads of their respective services, led to the untimely retirement of 51 army generals, 49 top Air Force officers and 17 naval officers.
Last Friday, Tinubu executed a shake-up in the military leadership. Gen Olufemi Oluyede replaced Gen Christopher Musa as CDS; Maj-Gen Waidi Shaibu becomes the COAS; Air Vice Marshal Sunday Aneke takes over as CAS, while Rear Admiral Idi Abbas assumes office as CNS. The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj-Gen Emmanuel Undiendeye, retains his position.
Under the latest development, about 60 top officers are expected to disengage from service should the military tradition continue.
Reacting to the situation, General Ishola Williams (retd.), faulted the arbitrary sacking of the service chiefs and the forced retirement of other top officers, describing this as a mirror of the military regime.
“Once the government replaces the service chiefs, it means that the set of the former service chiefs will have to retire because they cannot serve under their juniors.
“And this has been happening all the time. And I don’t know why we cannot change this. It is very bad. They are copying the military regime. If you hold a job at that level, somebody should tell you that in three months, you are going to leave. But to just make an announcement and tell the person, ‘you are leaving now, is abnormal,” he said.
Williams suggested a system of appointment where the chief of defence staff would be the principal staff officer to the President, to whom other service chiefs would report, while other commanders would report to the service chiefs.
He argued that this would institute a natural order of succession within the army.
“When you are doing posting, you post the next senior officer. So, the chief of army staff and everybody know that this is supposed to be the next chief of army staff. Or you say, it’s going to be one of the senior commanders, who are also senior officers. But what they are doing now doesn’t speak well of the Armed Forces at all,” he added.
News
Three Dead as Warri-Itakpe Train Derails in Delta, NRC Confirms
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed the death of three persons following the derailment of the Warri-Itakpe train in Agbor, Delta State.
The corporation disclosed that four coaches left the rail track during the incident, which occurred on Monday, June 8, 2026.
In a statement, the Managing Director of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, said emergency response teams and other relevant authorities were immediately mobilised to the scene to manage the situation and provide assistance to affected passengers.
“The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed a serious train accident involving the Warri-Itakpe Train Service (WITS) corridor at Agbor, Delta State,” the statement said.
According to Opeifa, rescue and emergency response operations were activated immediately after the accident, and all passengers on board have since been accounted for.
“Sadly, three fatalities have been confirmed at this time,” he stated.
He added that relevant authorities are continuing to assess the full circumstances surrounding the incident, while support is being provided to injured and affected passengers.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and loved ones during this difficult time,” Opeifa said.
The NRC urged members of the public to rely only on verified information and official updates from the corporation as investigations into the cause of the derailment continue.
News
Newlywed Woman Disappears After Discovering Husband Had Two Children
A newly married Nigerian woman who was recently declared missing by her family in Abuja has reportedly left her matrimonial home after discovering that her husband allegedly had two children with different women.
The woman, from Mbabum Community in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, had been the subject of a public appeal by her family, who sought assistance in locating her after she allegedly left her husband’s residence in Abuja.
According to a statement attributed to a family representative, Hon. Goshi Peter, the woman married Goshi Bem in March 2026 but left her matrimonial home about two weeks ago and had not returned.
However, in an update shared on Saturday, June 6, 2026, a Facebook user, Tyom Alexander, claimed she had spoken with the woman by phone.
According to Alexander, the woman said she left her husband’s home after discovering that he had two children from different women, information she alleged was not disclosed to her before their marriage.
“I have been able to speak with this woman through the phone number provided by the whistleblower,” Alexander wrote.
“She said her husband didn’t tell her that he had children before their marriage. She only discovered this after they relocated to Abuja.
“The first child is five years old, while the second child is two years old, both from different mothers.”
Alexander further claimed that the woman stated she was safe and still in Abuja, and reportedly warned her husband not to bother searching for her.
“According to her, the man should not bother looking for her as she is doing fine in Abuja,” Alexander added.
“If this is true, then the man has disappointed me. I wait to hear the man’s side of the story.”
As of the time of filing this report, the husband’s response to the allegations had not been made public.
News
Consultant Laments Fate Of 200,000 kms Of Nigerian Roads
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The fate of Nigerian roads especially the highways appears to be under threat of this year’s rainy season following fears by professionals that the over 200,000 kilometers of roads may collapse by the end of the year .
Deepening this apprehension is the lack of maintenance of those roads which have yearly carried loafs above it’s capacity occasioned by heavy duty trucks and tankers .
Expressing these fears , Consultant Engineer to the Federal government Patience Aningo noted that if urgent steps are not taken this year’s rainy season would spell doom for motorists and other road users across the country.
“Without consistent enforcement of axle load limits, and steady maintenance of our federal highways there strong indications that the country is at the risk of loosing over 200,000 kilometers of roads ”
“Roads require precision from proper compaction to correct layer thickness”
“By then, what could have been addressed with minor engineering challenges would become a huge cost of maintenance”
“The frustrations lies a deeper issue and the persistent failure of roads that should last far longer is compromised by laxity on the part of the authorities concerned”
“The outcomes are sometimes undermined by weak supervision, inconsistent material quality, and cost”
She observed that poor drainage system has also been the bane of the Federal roads in the country.
“Nigeria has one of the largest road networks in Africa estimated at over 200,000 kilometers yet a
One major factor is inadequate drainage”
“Roads are not just paved surfaces; they are engineered drainage
systems, sealing cracks, and timely patching remains underutilized, despite its proven
underlying soil, and accelerates structural deterioration”
“In a country with intense seasonal rainfall, neglecting drainage is one
of the fastest ways to shorten a road’s lifespan.’
“Regulations must be enforced consistently to protect infrastructure investments”
“Similarly, the Abuja–Kaduna Highway remains a critical but vulnerable route, where
pavement distress and operational challenges continue to highlight the strain placed on key compromise
during construction directly reduces durability and increases long-term costs”
“Drainage must be treated as a core design element, not an afterthought which affects Axle load against
what they were originally designed for”
“Heavy-duty trucks often overloaded introduce stresses that affect the roads ”
“Many Nigerian roads now carry traffic volumes and axle loads far beyond routes in the country
and despite ongoing reconstruction efforts, sections have deteriorated quickly ”
“When water is not properly managed, it penetrates the pavement layers, weakens the
This pattern is evident on major corridors such as the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, one of the busiest in the country “she stated.
News
Enugu Govt Dismisses Viral UNN Attack Alert, Moves to Track Perpetrators
Enugu Govt Dismisses Viral UNN Attack Alert, Moves to Track Perpetrator
The Enugu State Government has dismissed as false and misleading a viral social media post alleging an imminent terrorist attack on the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), assuring students, staff, and residents that there is no credible security threat to the institution.
The government described the post as the handiwork of criminal elements seeking to create panic, fear, and confusion within the university community and across the state.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Malachy Agbo, said the government had taken note of the viral message warning of a possible attack by individuals described as terrorists and jihadists.
According to him, investigations indicate that the alarm is false and part of a deliberate attempt by criminal elements and their collaborators to undermine public confidence in the state’s security efforts.
Agbo recalled that similar false alerts had been circulated in the past concerning locations such as Holy Ghost, Obollo Afor, Opi, Nsukka, Gariki, Awgu, and other parts of the state. He noted that those behind previous misinformation campaigns often operated anonymously and recycled old videos to create the impression of ongoing attacks.
He added that many of the perpetrators of the earlier false alarms were eventually identified and apprehended by security agencies.
The commissioner disclosed that the state government is already working closely with security agencies to track down those responsible for the latest viral post and ensure they face the consequences of their actions.
Reaffirming the administration’s commitment to public safety, Agbo said the government had continued to invest heavily in modern security infrastructure and technology to strengthen security operations across the state.
He stressed that the protection of lives and property remains a top priority of the administration of Peter Mbah, noting that recent investments have significantly improved the capacity and responsiveness of security agencies operating in the state.
The government therefore urged members of the UNN community, residents of Nsukka, and the general public to remain calm and continue their lawful activities without fear, assuring them that adequate measures are in place to guarantee their safety.
It further reiterated its resolve to sustain efforts aimed at maintaining peace and security across Enugu State while taking decisive action against individuals who spread false information capable of causing public panic.
News
METHODIST CHURCH HONOURS MONDAY DIAMOND ANI WITH “APOSTLE OF FAITH” AWARD
The Methodist Church Nigeria has honoured the General Manager of the Enugu State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), Hon. Monday Diamond Ani, with the prestigious “Apostle of Faith Award” in recognition of his outstanding humanitarian services and contributions to community development.
The award was presented by the Methodist Diocese of Akegbe, Aninri and Awgu Archdiocese (AAA) under the leadership of Rt. Rev. C. Orji, the Methodist Bishop of AAA Diocese, Enugu.
According to the Church, the honour was bestowed on Hon. Ani in acknowledgment of his selfless commitment to community development, social welfare, and humanitarian service over the years. The Church noted that his contributions have transcended political considerations and have positively impacted countless lives across communities.
His consistent humanitarian interventions have earned him the popular title “Odoziobodo”, meaning “one who builds and restores communities.”
Hon. Ani is widely regarded as a passionate advocate for community service, driven by a desire to improve living standards and promote love, unity, and a sense of
belonging among the people. His dedication reflects Christ’s teaching on the greatest commandment—love for God and love for one’s neighbour—placing service to humanity at the centre of purposeful living.
Due to his unavoidable absence, the award was received on his behalf and later presented to him at his office by Dr. Okechukwu Animba, Vice President (South-East) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
Responding to the honour, Hon. Ani expressed profound gratitude to Rt. Rev. C. Orji and the entire Methodist Diocese for recognising his humanitarian efforts. He prayed for God’s continued grace and strength to serve humanity and touch more lives through his work.
He also appreciated his principal, the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, for appointing him to lead the CSDA, an agency charged with driving community interventions and sustainable development across the state.
-
Politics5 days agoSenate: Enugu West Aspirant OAU Onyema Quits NDC, Alleges Manipulation of Party Primaries
-
News4 days agoControversial Enugu Centenary Land: Has A Daniel Truly Come to Judgment?
-
Crime4 days agoSchool abduction: Oyo Muslims demand for Sharia law as Schools shut in 33LGAs
-
Good Morning Mr Governor2 days agoGovernor Mbah’s Compassion Reaches Ikem as ENSOCU Identifies Indigent Persons for Life-Changing Support
-
Entertainment5 days ago‘My Safety Was Shaken’ — Emeka Ike Reacts to Alleged INEC Data Leak
-
News5 days ago1966 Coup: Aguiyi-Ironsi family honours Fajuyi’s ‘supreme sacrifice’
-
Crime3 days agoFULL LIST: What Kidnappers are demanding before releasing Oyo pupils, teachers
-
Politics2 days ago2027: Ebonyi commissioner resigns, dumps Nwifuru For Odii
