- The Nigerian Defence Military has ordered the retirement of 40 military commanders from service, the Defence Spokesman, Col. Mohammed Yusuf, disclosed on Tuesday.
These officers include generals leading the country’s five army units.
"There is no big deal about it, it is a continuous process," Col Yusuf said, dousing allegations from some quarters that the government is living with fears of future coups. He said it is nothing short of normal routine, which is in line with the best military tradition.
Col. Yusuf said armed forces officers must now retire as soon as they attain 60 years.
"They will now try to follow the process very properly, like it did not happen before. Once it is time, there is nothing you can do.”
This action by the new Nigerian government that came to power barely two months ago followed the footsteps of the outgoing leader, Olusegun Obasanjo, who did exactly immediately after came back to power in 1999.
Most Nigerians see the move as a measure to avert a recurrence of a military coup in a country whose history has been synonymous with coups and counter coups since it attained independence from Britain in 1960.
For 28 years, Nigeria has not enjoyed civilian rule and the transfer of power from one civil government to another took place only this year, when Mr Obasanjo passed the leadership baton to Mr Yar’Adua.
But this transfer is not without faults considering the broad daylight fraud of elections that led Mr Yar’Adua to power.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.