Recently retired Nigerian service chiefs are set to enjoy substantial post-service benefits, including bulletproof vehicles, domestic aides, and lifetime healthcare, following new provisions in the Armed Forces regulations.
The disengagement of General Christopher Musa (Chief of Defence Staff), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar (Air Force Chief), and Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla (Naval Chief) came after President Bola Tinubu announced a fresh shake-up in the military leadership last week.
Tinubu appointed Gen. Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen. Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff. The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Undiendeye, retained his post.
According to the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, the reorganisation aims to “strengthen Nigeria’s national security architecture.”
Breakdown of Post-Service Privileges
The benefits are detailed in the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers and Enlisted Personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces, signed by President Tinubu in December 2024.
Under the document, each retired service chief is entitled to:
- One bulletproof SUV (to be replaced every four years by the military).
- A Peugeot 508 or equivalent backup vehicle.
- Five domestic aides, including two cooks, two stewards, and one gardener.
- An aide-de-camp or security officer.
- A personal assistant or special assistant.
- Three drivers, a service orderly, and a guard unit of nine soldiers.
Additionally, retired service chiefs will enjoy lifetime free medical treatment both locally and abroad, with those of Lieutenant-General rank and above entitled to care worth up to $20,000 annually.
They may also retain personal firearms, although these will be retrieved upon their death. However, the regulations specify that these privileges apply only if the retired officers are not holding another government-funded position.
Analysts view the package as part of broader efforts to improve post-service welfare for Nigeria’s senior military officers, a move they say could motivate professionalism within the ranks.
