Defence Minister denies allegation of service chiefs’ retirement

The Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali, has denied the allegation making the rounds that he has instructed two service chiefs to hand over their offices on or before Friday 16 December.

He said there was no such communication between the office of the Honourable Minister of Defence and the service chiefs directing any one of them to hand over his office and proceed on retirement.

National Daily gathered that some online publications had claimed that the Chief of Defence Staff General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin and Chief of the Naval staff Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas have been directed to hand over their offices on or before Friday, 15 December.

Colonel Tukur Gusau, Public Relations officer to the Hon Minister of Defence explained that the appointment and replacement of service chiefs is a prerogative responsibility of the office of the President and Commander in Chief.

He therefore admonished journalists to cross check their stories and ensure it is balanced before publication.