His powers challenged by military commanders he believed he was appointed to supervise, Nigeria’s Defence minister, Aliyu Gusau, on Tuesday sent a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan threatening to quit if the Commander-in-Chief failed to rein in chiefs of defence, army, navy and airforce, according to new details of a row that climaxed Wednesday in a dramatic resignation claim.
In the letter, Mr. Gusau accused the chief of defence staff, Air Vice Marshal Alex Badeh, of being “rude”, officials knowledgeable about the communication said.
Mr. Gusau and the presidency have denied the minister was leaving office barely a week after he was appointed as part of Mr. Jonathan’s new effort at curbing a bloody insurgency by the extremist Boko Haram sect.
