The Nigerian Armed Forces have enforced a new directive banning all military personnel from marrying foreigners and naturalised Nigerians under the updated Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (HTACOS) 2024.
The sweeping policy also prohibits commissioned officers from marrying non-commissioned officers, including soldiers, ratings and airwomen, with service chiefs directed to ensure full compliance.
According to the HTACOS document, the 2024 edition replaces the previous 2017 version and mandates strict and uniform implementation across the Services.
Part of the document reads, “This Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service Officers 2024 has been promulgated to ensure uniform implementation and it supersedes the previous HTACOS Officers 2017.
“The contents are to be strictly observed on all occasions and interpreted reasonably and intelligently, with due respect to the interest of the Services.”
The new rules, signed by the President and approved by the Armed Forces Council, came into force on December 6, 2024.
Chapter 25 of the HTACOS, which focuses on marriages within the military, introduces the most stringent changes.
Subsection 5 states clearly, “No officer is allowed to marry a foreigner or a naturalised Nigerian.”
The document is subject to review every five years. The rules also affect newly commissioned officers.
According to Chapter 25, Subsection 1, a second lieutenant, midshipman or pilot officer is regarded as being on probation and must live in the Officers’ Mess without a spouse.
Such an officer “is not allowed to marry,” and if he was married before entering the Academy, the marriage will not be recognised for accommodation, pay or allowances applicable to married officers.
Married Personnel Commissioned from the Ranks Get Temporary Concession
However, Subsection 2 provides partial relief for rank-and-file personnel who are later commissioned.
It states that if a soldier, rating or airman was already married before being commissioned, “he will live in the Officers’ Mess for a minimum of three months. Thereafter, he may be given married accommodation if available or lodging allowance in lieu.”
The new military law imposes strict conditions on officers wishing to marry.
Subsections 3 and 4 read, “Any officer who is not yet married must first seek approval of the appropriate superior authority of his/her intention to marry.
“An RCC officer shall not be eligible to apply to marry until after five years of commissioning. The approval shall be granted only after vetting and clearance of the officer’s proposed spouse by the appropriate superior authority.”
The policy also criminalises marriages between commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers.
The document states, “If an officer marries a soldier/rating/airman/airwoman under any of the existing ordinances, the officer or the soldier/rating/airman/airwoman will be given the option to leave the Service from the date of such marriage.”
In cases where two serving personnel marry and one later becomes commissioned, “the spouse of the commissioned officer shall be discharged from Service.”
It further warns that concealing such a marriage is an offence: “It is an offence for an officer to conceal his marriage to a soldier/rating/airman/airwoman for the purpose of preventing the officer or the soldier/rating/airman/airwoman from leaving the Service.”
