A consolidated amendment bill, aimed at allowing the appointments of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) from within the three services of the Nigerian Armed Forces, has successfully passed its second reading at the House of Representatives.
The bill also proposes an increase in the service duration to 40 years and the retirement age to 65 for members of the armed forces.
The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to amend the Armed Forces Act Cap. A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to provide for the Appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff and for Other Related Matters, 2023,” is jointly sponsored by various members of the House, including Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Blessing Onuh, Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, Esset Mark Udo, Steve Fatoba, and Zakari Dauda Nyampa.
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Additionally, the bill was consolidated with a related bill titled “A Bill for an Act to amend the Armed Forces Act Cap. A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to provide for the engagements of consultants, senior compulsorily retired officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces to provide training and guidance to serving officers and for related matters, 2023,” sponsored by Rep Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi (SDP, Nasarawa).
During the debate, Rep Gbefwi highlighted that the provisions of the principal Act concerning the appointments of the Chief of Defence Staff and other service chiefs, along with related matters, lacked clarity and contained ambiguities.
He noted that the bill aims to enable the appointment of other Service Chiefs, specifically the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, and the Chief of Naval Staff, from their respective services.
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Moreover, the bill’s objective is to ensure that serving military officers have the opportunity to learn from the extensive experience of retired senior military officers who were compulsorily retired due to the appointment of their juniors as Chief of Defence Staff or Service Chiefs.
Following the successful second reading, the bill has been referred to the relevant committees of the House for further legislative actions.