Metro
Court Nullifies 15-Year Compulsory Service Rule for Soldiers
The National Industrial Court (NIC) sitting in Abuja has nullified the provision of the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service for the Officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces (HTACOS), which made it mandatory for soldiers to serve for a minimum of 15 years before they could be allowed to resign.
The court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Emmanuel Subilim, declared the provision as both oppressive and a gross violation of fundamental rights that are protected by the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The verdict followed a suit marked: NICN/ABJ/25/2025, which a dissatisfied Air Force personnel, Flight Lieutenant J. A. Akerele, lodged before the court.
The Claimant, who told the court that he was commissioned in 2013 as a Pilot Officer during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, specifically challenged what he described as his “systematic persecution and victimisation,” by the authorities of the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, after he applied to disengage from service.
He told the court that the then Chief of Air Staff not only rejected his resignation letter but equally declared him AWOL with a signal issued for his arrest.
Narrating his ordeal, the Claimant, in an affidavit he filed in support of the suit that was entered on his behalf by a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, averred:
“Before the 14th day of September 2013, I was selected based on merit as a final year student in the Nigerian Defence Academy in July 2013 to complete my Flight training in the United States of America.
“During the course of my studies, allowances were no longer released for about 5) five months and I was abruptly recalled from the course in July 2014, and this led to my loss of seniority in rank, and I was not assigned to any unit for over a year.
“I switched five different career paths as a young officer in the Nigerian Air Force, and during this course, I was never promoted as compared to my course mates, as I spent 6 (six) years on the rank of a Flying Officer instead of the standard 4 (four) years.
“I was posted to the National Air Defence Corps, and my specialty was changed to Air Traffic Control and subsequently to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV); I began my UAV training in August 2016, but it was terminated as the foreign contractors were not paid according to terms.
“After several months of waiting, my specialty was again changed to the Intelligence Arm of the Air Force.
“I was nominated for the Intelligence Course after serving in Base Services Group (BSG) Lagos from November 2019 to November 2020, but it was later canceled and I was sent back to the UAV specialty.”
He told the court that the bitter experiences he was subjected to caused him “severe emotional distress, feelings of victimization, and a lack of sense of direction.”
The Claimant insisted that the ordeal adversely affected his mental well-being, saying he was traumatized.
“It was for these reasons and the enduring depression and trauma that I voluntarily resigned and disengaged from the Nigerian Air Force,” he added.
According to the Claimant, after his letter for voluntary resignation was received, the authorities of the NAF subjected him to a series of interviews and counselling.
He stated that his Commander and the disposal officers who conducted the interviews and counselling sessions supported his decision and recommended that he should be allowed to disengage from service.
However, he told the court that despite the recommendations, the then Chief of Air Staff rejected his letter of disengagement, insisting that he must serve at least 15 years before he could be eligible to voluntarily resign.
The Claimant told the court that the Air Force boss, basing his decision on provisions of the HTACOS, ordered his immediate arrest.
He argued that as a public servant, he had the constitutional right to voluntarily resign from service.
Challenging the action, the Claimant contended that the said HTACOS was not only a breach of section 306 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, but equally negated various subsisting court judgements.
Delivering his judgement in the matter on Tuesday, Justice Subilim faulted the decision of Air Force authorities, saying it was akin to forcing soldiers into “modern day slavery under the guise of national service.”
Declaring that members of the Armed Forces have the statutory right to retire or resign voluntarily, the court struck down the 15-year compulsory service requirement provided by the HTACOS.
It dismissed the NAF’s argument that the Claimant’s letter had “voluntary retirement” as its caption instead of “resignation.”
The court held that what was of utmost importance was the substance of the letter and not its form, adding that the word “resignation” as used in Section 306 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, must be given a liberal and wider interpretation and not a restrictive interpretation, in line with decisions of the Supreme Court on principles governing the interpretation of the Constitution.
Consequently, the court granted the Claimant’s reliefs and declared his resignation from the NAF as valid and effective from the date his letter was received.
The court equally issued an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the Chief of Air Staff and the NAF, who were the 1st and 2nd defendants in the matter, from arresting or detaining the Claimant or compelling him to continue in military service.
Globacom has entered into a strategic partnership with the Osun State Government to roll out 20,000 closed user group (CUG) lines for civil servants, teachers, local government staff and political appointees across the state.
The initiative, branded Imole Connect, is designed to foster seamless communication and collaboration among government workers, thereby improving efficiency and productivity.
Speaking at the official launch in Osogbo on Wednesday, Governor Ademola Adeleke commended Globacom for supporting the state’s digital drive. He described the project as a crucial step towards bridging communication gaps in the public sector.
“With the launch of 20,000 Glo Imole Connect lines today, we are taking a bold step towards improving our public servants’ linkage across the State. These lines, operating under a closed user group (CUG) arrangement, come with significantly reduced call and data rates,” Governor Adeleke noted.
He further explained that, “one of the challenges in public governance has always been the difficulty of seamless communication. Information does not always move quickly or efficiently and this has often led to avoidable delays and disconnections between agencies and officers across different levels. With this new arrangement, I am confident that we will begin to close those gaps and work in closer alignment.”
On his part, Globacom’s National Head, Enterprise Business Group, Mr. Adeniyi Odejobi, assured that the company was committed to enhancing service delivery in Osun State through efficient communication.
“Globacom has transformed from being just a telecommunications company to being a digital solutions provider where we offer enterprise solutions to large organisations, government and public sector organisations to enhance digital economy and enhance the operations of smart cities in some sub nationals,” he explained.
Desirous of promoting the love for sciences and pursuit of careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), the Glo Foundation, Globacom’s corporate social responsibility arm, is staking millions of naira to promote STEM among girls across the country.
This is part of its programme for the celebration of this year’s edition of the International Day of the Girl Child.
The Foundation has put in place the ‘Glo Innov8’ National STEM Competition for girls in Senior Secondary Schools across the country. The competition, a STEM-focused challenge, will see the winning schools carting home N5 million in prizes.
A statement from Glo Foundation explained that the ‘Glo Innov8’ National STEM Competition is aimed at enabling girls in secondary schools to “Compete, Innovate and Win” in the competition and also enhance the confidence and knowledge of the girl child.
It also added that the competition “is our modest way at Glo Foundation of celebrating and encouraging the girl child to focus more on the studies of STEM subjects and pursue careers in these areas in future so as to become problem solvers for the country”.
The overall winning school with the best idea walks away with N2,000,000 prize, while the 2 Students who will represent the school will get a laptop each, and the Teacher/Mentor/STEM Coordinator gets a token of N200,000. The students of the schools that come 2nd and 3rd, as well as the Teachers/Mentors/STEM Coordinators will also get consolation prizes.
The registration for the Glo Foundation National Stem Competition tagged “Glo Innov8”, which kicked off on the Monday September 15th, will end on October 5, 2025.
To register for a chance to win, all that schools across Nigeria have to do is visit https://glo-foundation.com/glo-innov8/ and fill the form, to STEM their way to N5,000,000.
Adron Homes and Properties Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading real estate companies, has reaffirmed its commitment to cultural preservation and community development by officially supporting the 2025 Olojo Festival themed “Tourism for Inclusive Growth with Cultural Rebirth.”
In a press conference held at the Palace of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Eniitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife, the firm highlighted the festival’s enduring significance as a symbol of Yoruba heritage and a catalyst for economic and social development.
Representing the Chairman/CEO, Aare Adetola Emmanuelking, the Managing Director of Adron Group, Mrs. Adenike Ajobo, described the Olojo Festival as “more than a cultural gathering, a living heritage that connects the Yoruba civilization to the global stage, strengthening local economies, uniting people, and inspiring generational pride.”
She noted that Adron Group’s sponsorship aligns with its mission to build communities that honour tradition while creating sustainable opportunities.
“Tourism and housing share a common purpose which connects people, places, and possibilities. At Adron, we believe that true development must respect heritage while driving progress for future generations. Supporting Olojo Festival reflects our commitment to inclusive growth and cultural rebirth,” she stated.
The Olojo Festival, recognised as one of Africa’s foremost cultural events, continues to attract international attention while reinforcing Ile-Ife’s status as the cradle of Yoruba civilization. With the support of organisations like Adron Group, the festival is expected to further project Nigeria’s culture globally, boost tourism, and inspire unity across communities.
Adron Group extended prayers for the continued reign of His Imperial Majesty, Kabiyesi Ojaja II, and expressed optimism that the 2025 Olojo Festival would be peaceful, impactful, and a beacon of pride for Yorubaland, Osun State, and Nigeria at large.
