The newly appointed Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, on Thursday, effected a major reshuffle, posting and appointing senior officers to command, staff, and training positions across the Nigerian Army.
A statement by the acting Director, Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Appolonia Anele, on Thursday, said the redeployments were intended to strengthen leadership, improve command efficiency, and enhance ongoing operations.
The shake-up comes shortly after President Bola Tinubu decorated the Chief of Army Staff, along with the other service chiefs, at the State House in Abuja.
The army spokesman said the deployment and appointments announced on Thursday were with immediate effect.
She announced that Maj. Gen. Bamidele Alabi had been appointed the Chief of Policy and Plans at the Army Headquarters, Maj. Gen. Jamal Abdulsalam moved to the Defence Headquarters as the Chief of Defence Operations, while Maj. Gen. Peter Mala was posted to Training and Doctrine Command as Commander.
The statement added, “In the same vein, Maj. Gen. Samson Jiya, from the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to the Defence Headquarters Department of Defence Accounts and Budget as Chief of Defence Accounts and Budget.
“Other strategic appointments include Maj. Gen. Mayirenso Saraso from NAHFC to the Army Headquarters Department of Operations, as Chief of Operations (Army); Maj. Gen. Isa Abdullahi from the Defence Headquarters to the Army Headquarters Department of Administration as Chief of Administration (Army); Maj. Gen. Musa Etsu-Ndagi from the Army Headquarters to the Department of Training to the Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs, as Chief of Civil-Military Affairs.
“Major General Abubakar Haruna from NAHFC to Nigerian Army Training Centre Kontagora as Commander and Major General Philip Ilodibia from Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans to Defence Space Administration as Chief of Defence Space Administration, “the statement partly read.
In other postings, Maj. Gen. Godwin Mutkut is now Corps Commander, Infantry, Maj. Gen. Umar Abubakar becomes Commander Armour Corps, Maj. Gen. John Adeyemo takes over as Corps Commander Artillery, and Maj. Gen. Mohammed Abdullahi becomes Corps Commander Signals.
Maj. Gen. Taofik Sidick has been named Chief of Accounts and Budget (Army). Maj. Gen. Abdullahi Ibrahim is now Corps Commander Ordnance, Major General Adeyinka Adereti becomes Corps Commander Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and Major General Nansak Shagaya takes over as Corps Commander Supply and Transport. Brigadier General Yusha’u Ahmed becomes Acting Corps Commander, Education.
For training institutions, Major General Oluyemi Olatoye has been appointed Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, while Major General Emmanuel Mustapha, Major General Adamu Hassan, and Brigadier General John Bulus have been appointed Commandants of the Nigerian Army Signal School, Nigerian Army School of Artillery, and Nigerian Army School of Finance and Accounts, respectively.
New field commanders include Major General Saidu Audu, now Force Commander, Multi-National Joint Task Force in N’Djamena; Major General Warrah Idris, Commander of Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA; and Major General Oluremi Fadairo, General Officer Commanding 82 Division and Commander, Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA.
The COAS further appointed Major General Olatokumbo Bello as Director of Defence Media Operations, while Brigadier General Samaila Uba becomes Director of Defence Information. Both Bello and Uba are spokespersons for the Defence Headquarters.
Shaibu urged the officers to discharge their duties with professionalism and uphold the values of loyalty, selfless service, integrity, and excellence.