President Bola Tinubu has approved a lavish retirement package for military service chiefs and senior officers, providing benefits such as bulletproof SUVs, generous medical allowances, domestic staff, and enhanced security.
This initiative, part of the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (HTCOS) for Officers and Enlisted Personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces, was signed into law on December 14, 2024.
A document obtained by Punch outlines that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and other service chiefs will be entitled to a bulletproof SUV or an equivalent vehicle, which will be replaced every four years and maintained by the military. They will also receive a backup vehicle, such as a Peugeot 508, or a similar model.
The package includes a $20,000 annual foreign medical treatment allowance for generals, with higher allowances for the CDS and service chiefs. Retirees will also retain their military uniforms and insignia for ceremonial occasions.
On the domestic front, retirees will be provided with five staff members: two cooks, two stewards, and one gardener, in addition to a personal assistant, three drivers, and an orderly. Security details include an aide-de-camp or a security officer, along with the necessary military escorts.
According to the HTCOS document, the specific benefits are as follows:
- Service Chiefs and CDS: A bulletproof SUV (replaced every four years), a backup vehicle, $20,000 annual medical allowance, and five domestic aides.
- Lieutenant Generals and Equivalents: Two Toyota Hilux vehicles or one Toyota Land Cruiser, $20,000 medical allowance, four residential guards, two drivers, and domestic staff.
- Major Generals and Brigadier Generals: A Toyota Land Cruiser or equivalent, $15,000 annual medical allowance, and domestic aides including a cook, steward, and guards.
- One-Star Officers (Brigadier Generals): A Toyota Camry or equivalent, $10,000 medical allowance, residential guards, and a driver.
- Colonels and Equivalents: A Toyota Corolla or equivalent, with free medical care within Nigeria.
The HTCOS also permits officers to keep their personal firearms, with the stipulation that they must be surrendered upon their death.
This extensive retirement package highlights the government’s recognition of the military leadership’s contributions, but it also raises concerns about its timing amid Nigeria’s ongoing economic challenges.
