NAF unveils tough rules to curb airmen’s exodus

The Nigerian Air Force is currently battling the huge resignation of personnel, prompting the introduction of stringent measures to arrest the worrying trend.

The PUNCH in October 2024 reported that the Nigerian Army was experiencing an acute shortage of manpower, due to the high number of those who voluntarily retired.

To fill the vacancy, it was gathered that the Army was planning to re-engage discharged soldiers.

However, the Air Force, jolted by the same exodus, in a memo, titled “Air Secretary’s Instruction 1/2025: Guidelines for Retirement and Discharge in the NAF” and marked with Reference Number NAF/300/AIRSEC, said NAF personnel intending to retire or discharge from service are now required to submit their applications two years ahead of their intended exit date.

The memo, dated January 10, 2025, and signed by the Air Vice Marshal A. H. Bakari, stated that the increasing number of personnel seeking early retirement, often with minimal notice posed a threat to the service’s manpower, cohesion, and operational efficiency.

The memo partly read, “Over the years, the NAF has had to cope with an increase in requests for retirement by personnel. In most instances such applications are by personnel seeking to exit the service within a very short period of time from the date their application was received.

“The effects of such development amongst others, if left to continue, are firstly, the NAF will continue to experience unregulated attrition that portends the ability to deplete the manpower required for its operations, especially where highly skilled workforce is required.

“Secondly, the seriousness accorded to military service could be reduced to that of mere preoccupation, that could convey the erroneous impression of the liberty to disengage at will, even when the timing of such disengagement could negatively affect moral, cohesion, effectiveness of operations in the NAF and national security.”

Bakari stated that the service also risked losing its return on investment in the training and development of personnel if the trend was allowed to continue.

He said, “Thirdly, the NAF will continue to be disadvantaged as it pertains to benefiting from its return on investment made in personnel training. In this regard, the NAF, without exploiting the full potentials of its trained personnel, could unintentionally become a breeding ground of skilled workforce for other organisations to poach.

“Gleaning from the above, and without prejudice to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is thus, imperative to outline modalities for the retirement/discharge of NAF personnel, in ways that will not impede the service’s effectiveness and efficiency and will also meet the aspirations of its personnel desiring to retire/discharge.

“Accordingly, the process for personnel retiring or discharging from the NAF would, henceforth, be time-sequenced to permit the service sufficient time to plan for the disruption occasioned by the exit of its personnel, as well as to permit personnel who intend to retire/discharge have enough time to introspect on modalities for their disengagement.”

Reeling out the new guidelines in the memo, Bakari said, “All personnel desiring to retire/discharge are to make such application only after serving the mandatory initial period of engagement as it pertains to the affected personnel’s type of commission and cadre provided in the HTACOS 2024 Offrs and Airmen, respectively.

“Personnel intending to retire/discharge are to submit their application in writing and such application is to reach HQ NAF two years before the intended date of retirement/discharge by the personnel.

“Upon receipt of a personnel’s application to retire, such personnel are not to be nominated for any PME or Specialist Course. Where such nomination has been made before the receipt of the personnel’s application, it is to be cancelled.

“Personnel who have applied for retirement/discharge are not to be considered for promotion, deployment for PSO, foreign service or extra regimental appointment except at the discretion of the CAS.

“HQ NAF (Air Sec) is to process and forward to the CAS, for approval, all applications that meet the requirements for discharge in the case of airmen, while those for officers are to be forwarded to the CAS for recommendation to the Air Council for approval.”

He said the instruction took immediate effect and must be cited as Air Secretary’s Instruction 1/2025.

The PUNCH reports that the new directive of the service is inconsistent with a March 2024 judgment of the National Industrial Court in Abuja.

Justice Olufunke Anuwe, while validating the resignation of a medical doctor, Dr. Elkanah John, from the service of the Nigerian Air Force effective from July 22, 2019, held that when the Constitution provides that a resignation takes effect upon receipt of the resignation letter by the relevant authority,  implying that the authority has no role in approving or rejecting the resignation.

Justice Anuwe ruled that Dr. John had voluntarily joined the service of the Nigerian Air Force and had the right to voluntarily resign from the service.

The judge further emphasised that military service is not slavery, and as such, the Chief of Air Staff and the Nigerian Air Force cannot compel Dr. John to remain in the service when he had expressed his desire to leave and had properly notified the authorities through his resignation.

Our correspondent gathered that the Air Force has appealed the judgment at the Court of Appeal, but the court is yet to deliver its verdict on the matter.

Personnel explain exodus

Some personnel of the Nigerian Air Force, who have tendered their resignation letters, cited discrimination, poor welfare, ineffective policy formulation, and limited access to opportunities as reasons for their decision to leave.

One of them who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of fear of being victimised by the service said DRC officers are highly disregarded in the Air Force.

The officer said, “The DRC officers are treated like pieces of shit by regular officers who are in charge of the service. All good postings, appointments and foreign missions are reserved for regular officers but all the dirty jobs are for the DRC. This started during Amao as the Chief of Air Staff and continues to date

“To be released for study, your course and who you know are factored in. If you see any DRC officers who are still in the service, they are looking for a way out because they are all not happy with the system, which is against them. These officers are like 50 percent of the officers cadre in the Air force. Every of their policies is aimed at placing the RC at undue advantage over the DRC officers. The mentality they have sown into the youngest RC officers is to belittle the DRC officers. The DRC officers are disgruntled and looking for a way out of the service.