Categories: News

Chief of Defence Staff Due for Retirement, Not Removed – Presidency

The Presidency has said that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, is due to retire next week having satisfied the official number of years in service.

Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, disclosed this, on Monday, while reacting to media reports that President Muhammadu Buhari has replaced Olonisakin and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.

Ibas

In a statement issued in Abuja, Adesina described as untrue and false the story that the two service chiefs had been replaced by the president.

The statement reads: “It is necessary to respond to a fictive story published in today’s edition of New Telegraph Newspaper to the effect that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the replacement of Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, as service chiefs.

“The newspaper, rather than rush to print an unsubstantiated story, would have done better to confirm the information at its disposal, from many available military and government information channels.

“It then would have avoided the self-inflicted wound of publishing a one-legged story that is not completely true, and damaging its brand in the process.

“Gen. Olonisakin is due to retire from the Army next week, having satisfied the official number of years in service. He has yet to be replaced.

“But the Chief of Naval Staff has a short while more, and President Buhari could, therefore, not have approved his replacement yet.’’

Adesina

According to Adesina, President Buhari-led administration has repeatedly pledged commitment to transparency and accountability, and one of the hallmarks of that is making information available to the media.

He, however, frowned at some sections of the media who would rather speculate, than cross-check and double check information, saying “it borders on deliberate mischief.

“That, surely, is not the way to go, for national cohesion and development.”

0
Editor

View Comments

Recent Posts

Boy, 15, Axes Mother to Death after She Confiscated His Tablet to Make Him Do His Homework

Editor/ A 15-year-old boy in Russia has reportedly been taken into custody after police say…

3 hours ago

Beaten and Humbled: Bolt Driver Apologises to Lawmaker who Assaulted Him over Simple Delivery

Pat Stevens/ Stephen Abuwatseya, a Bolt driver, has publicly apologised to a politician who allegedly…

3 hours ago

NNPC, SPDC Joint Venture Donates US$1 Million to Support Borno Flood Victims

Malik Yahya/ The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC JV)—operator of the NNPC…

7 hours ago

Federal Reserve Chair, Powell, Says He’ll Refuse to Step Down if Trump Asks

Femi Ashekun/ Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell, has declared that he wouldn’t resign if President-elect…

19 hours ago

FG Responds to Malaysia’s Plan to Phase Out CNG, Clarifies its Position on Adoption

Segun Atanda/ The Nigerian government has responded to Malaysia's recent announcement to phase out compressed…

1 day ago

Lagos Police Arrest Dog Owner After Fatal Attack on Security Guard in Lekki

Matilda Omonaiye/ The police in Lagos have arrested Salisu Mustapha, the owner of three dogs…

1 day ago