Retired Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi, a former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 1st Division of the Nigerian Army and now a security strategist, has opened up about the events that led to his controversial retirement from military service.
Speaking during a recent interview with Arise TV, Ali-Keffi revealed that he was removed from his position on August 10 and later faced what he described as unjust treatment despite leading a major security operation. According to him, the operation in question was targeted at high-level individuals involved in terrorism financing in Nigeria.
“I was compulsorily retired. I led the Operation Service-Wide, the counter-terrorism to arrest those terrorism financiers,” he said. The retired officer emphasized that this task was part of a coordinated national effort, and that he fulfilled his responsibilities with commitment and professionalism.
However, Ali-Keffi explained that shortly after the operation, things took a surprising turn. “Then, in October 2nd or there about, I was invited, set for interview at the Military Police headquarters. I went there on the 18th, and I was arrested myself and detained in a cell.”
In his view, the arrest and subsequent forced retirement came without any clear explanation or formal charges. He noted that the military cited failure to report at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, a claim he disputed, suggesting that the action against him may have had other motivations.
The retired general also shared concerns that his case might reflect a broader pattern within the system, where those taking decisive action on sensitive issues like terrorism financing face backlash rather than support. He described his ordeal as painful, saying it was not the kind of end he expected after decades of dedicated service to the country.
