The Nigerian Army has temporarily suspended statutory and voluntary retirements for certain officers in response to the nationwide security emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu.
An internal memo dated December 3, signed by Maj. Gen. E. I. Okoro on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, explained that the suspension aims to retain experienced personnel and maintain operational capacity as the Armed Forces scale up to tackle rising insecurity.
The directive affects officers who have reached the age limit for their ranks, completed 35 years of service, failed promotion exams three times, been passed over thrice at promotion boards, or failed conversion boards three times. Officers unwilling to extend their service may still retire normally, while those who stay on will not be eligible for promotions, career courses, or special appointments.
The memo cited Paragraph 3.10(e) of the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service Officers (HTACOS) 2024, which allows service extensions in the interest of the military. Commanders have been instructed to enforce the policy and manage troop morale, with the suspension subject to review as the security situation improves.
President Tinubu, on November 26, 2025, declared the nationwide security emergency, directing the military, police, and intelligence agencies to expand recruitment and deploy additional personnel across the country.
