Senior Nigerian Army officer, Colonel Audu Ogli Achigili, has accused high-ranking officials within the military of obstructing his promotion to Brigadier General, despite what he describes as decades of loyal service across Nigeria and on international missions.

Col. Achigili, who has held several key command roles both at home and abroad, expressed deep frustration that the Army Council’s approval of his promotion in 2023 has still not been implemented. He alleges the delay is the result of a deliberate scheme tied to a land dispute in his home community.

‘I nearly died serving Nigeria’ — Colonel recounts service record

Detailing his career, Achigili noted that he has commanded multiple formations, including the 82 Records Office in Abakaliki, 73 Battalion in Kano, and Nigerian Battalion 38 (NIBATT 38) under the United Nations Mission in Liberia in 2017.

“I commanded Sector 3 Garrison in the North East under Operation Hadin Kai for two years and fought ferociously to protect the people. I participated in Operation Harmony IV in the Bakassi Peninsula from 1998 to 2000 and served in the African Union Mission in Darfur between 2006 and 2007,” he said.

He recalled his role during the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) crisis in Lagos in 2001, during Governor Bola Tinubu’s administration, and said he narrowly survived the Ikeja cantonment bomb blast.

“In 2001, when our current President, Bola Tinubu, was Lagos State Governor, I fought to restore law and order during the OPC crisis and nearly lost my life when the bomb blast occurred in Ikeja,” he said.

According to him, these efforts earned him multiple commendations from the Nigerian Army for what he described as “unblemished service.”

Promotion allegedly blocked by local influence

Achigili claims his promotion was derailed by the clan head of Oglewu community in Benue State, who he alleges influenced former Military Secretary (Army), Major General Gabriel Ochigbano (retired), to block his elevation due to a local land dispute.

He said his most recent attempt at promotion also failed, insisting that the process rewarded “their godsons” rather than officers who earned advancement through performance and seniority.

He criticised what he calls the decline of leadership ethics in the military, noting that former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retired) prioritised the welfare and integrity of field commanders.

Achigili also expressed dismay that officers only marginally senior to him—including Gen. Ochigbano, who he says is one year ahead of him from the Nigerian Defence Academy—were issuing directives for him to begin preparing for retirement. He labelled this “a violation of the military’s oath of integrity.”

He appealed for intervention to ensure his promotion is released before he is compulsorily retired.

Concerns over promotion list and declining officer morale

The colonel also criticised the latest promotion cycle from Brigadier General to Major General, arguing that the list ignored merit and seniority. According to him, members of the NDA 41st Regular Course were largely sidelined, with only two officers promoted—one of whom is deceased.

He warned that such practices damage morale and loyalty within the officer corps.

Achigili further accused some officers of benefiting from “godfatherism,” saying they are shielded from frontline operations yet routinely receive top positions and benefits.

“Call for their profiles and you will be shocked where they are deployed. You can never find some of them in the field,” he said.

He also questioned why education officers were being elevated over combatant officers, arguing that the quality of education in many military schools has deteriorated so badly that soldiers now send their children to private schools outside military barracks.

According to him, if such trends continue, they could erode professionalism within the Nigerian Army.