Read why Nigeria’s Service Chiefs will stay on after July 13 expiration of their tenure

Four of Nigeria's Service Chiefs whose tenure are expected to expire on July 13, 2017, are likely to remain in office unless they are removed.

This is so because three of them got one-year extensions last December.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who is away in the United Kingdom, had on July 13, 2015, appointed General Gabriel Olonisakin as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), chiefs.

Based on the Armed Forces Terms and Conditions of Service, appointments as service chiefs are tenured for two years.

However, at the pleasure of the president, the tenure will be extended if they have not reached the retirement age of 56 and/or attained the maximum length of service.

Reacting to reports of ‘uncertainty’ in some quarters, a presidency source told Thisday that Buhari had extended the tenures by one year of General Olonisakin, Vice Admiral Ite-Ibas and Air Vice Marshal Abubakar in December last year, while the tenure of General Buratai would not expire till next year.

General Olonisakin, by virtue of his age or length of service in the Nigerian Army was due for retirement last December, but had his tenure extended by Buhari.

The source further revealed that Buhari also extended the tenures of Vice Admiral Ite-Ibas and Air Vice Marshal Abubakar by one year at the same time, as both of them were also due for retirement.

He said: “Mr. President’s decision to extend their tenure was strategic because he believed that Gen. Olonisakin, as the head of the Armed Forces, could not be retired in the middle of the war against Boko Haram.

“So, Mr. President decided to extend not only Gen. Olonisakin’s tenure, but that of the Chiefs of Air and Naval Staff by one year.

“In the case of Gen. Buratai, he was a member of Course 29 in the Nigerian Army, meaning that he has not attained the retirement age or maximum length of service yet.”