356 Soldiers Apply for Voluntary Disengagement, Say they’ve Lost Interest in The Army

Not less than 356 soldiers have reportedly applied for voluntary retirement citing loss of interest in the Nigerian Army.
According to ThePunch, the soldiers wrote to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, on Friday, July 3, 2020, under Reference NA/COAS/001, quoting the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service soldiers/rating/airmen (Revised) 2017.
The approval of the soldiers’ disengagement was contained in a 17-page circular signed by Brig Gen T.E. Gagariga for the army chief.
The document according to the newspaper was also copied to Headquarters, Theatre Command, Operation Lafiya Dole, Borno State as well as the Headquarters of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 81, and 82 Divisions of the Nigerian Army.

The majority of the soldiers applying for voluntary disengagement are reportedly from the North-East theatre of operation.
Military sources have, however, attributed the development to loss of morale, poor weapons, unimproved allowances and the continuous loss of soldiers to Boko Haram attacks.
The Punch reports that the total number of soldiers that applied for voluntary disengagement is 380, but while 356 cited loss of interest, 24 said they are leaving the army to take traditional titles.
The 356 soldiers are Master Warrant Officers, Warrant Officers, Staff Sergeants, Sergeants, Lance Corporals, Corporals and Privates.
A document written by Gagariga on behalf of Buratai state’s that the soldiers’ disengagement date will take effect from January 3, 2021.