Shakeup In Army After Buhari Met Service Chiefs

The Nigerian Army on Friday, announced the redeployment and appointment of new General Commanders, Corp Commanders, Commandants of training institutions, Brigade Commanders, and Commanding Officers amongst others.

The development, security watchers informed the magazine has become necessary following the sporadic attacks on officers and military formations across the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Thursday met with Service Chiefs to chart a way forward on the worsening security situation in the country. The meeting with top military brass comes on the back of last week’s terrorist attack on Presidential Guards Brigade, killing some soldiers and others seriously injured.

The insecurity situation has been aggravated after NSDC released a report that the terrorists are planning to attack major cities across the country, including Abuja and Lagos.

Last month, the terrorists attacked Kuje Prison freeing over 400 inmates including some boko haram commanders detained there.

Again, on Thursday, suspected terrorists attacked a military checkpoint at Zuma Rock, around the Niger-Abuja border.

According to a statement signed by the Director of Army Public Relations, Defence Headquarters, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, the new postings are aimed to tackle the problems of insecurity facing the country.

The statement read in part: “In an effort to reposition the Nigerian Army  for operational efficiency and proficiency, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, has approved the posting and appointment of some senior officers of the Nigerian Army to command, instructional and staff appointments across NA formations and units.

“Those affected in the redeployment released on Thursday, July 28, 2022, include some Principal Staff Officers of the Army Headquarters, General Officers Commanding, Corps Commanders, Commandants of training institutions, Brigade Commanders, Commanding Officers, amongst others.

“Some of the senior officers appointed as General Officers Commanding are Major General UT Musa from Headquarters 81 Division to Headquarters 82 Division and appointed GOC, Major General TA Lagbaja from Headquarters 82 Division to Headquarters 1 Division and appointed GOC, Major General OC Ajunwa from Nigeria Defence Section Brasilia to HQ 81 Division and appointed GOC , while Major General AS Chinade was redeployed from Depot Nigerian Army to Headquarters 2 Division and appointed GOC.

“The newly appointed Army Headquarters Principal Staff Officers include, Maj Gen OW Ali, from Headquarters Command Army Records to Army Headquarters Department of Army Administration and appointed Chief of Administration (Army) Maj Gen S Muhammed, from Defence Headquarters to Department of Army Standards and Evaluation and appointed Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation (Army), Major General JA Ataguba from Army Headquarters Department of Army Standards and Evaluation to Defence Headquarters and appointed, Director Peace Keeping Operations, Major General A.A Adesope from Headquarters Nigerian Army Finance Corps to Defence Headquarters and appointed Chief of Defence Accounts and Budget, Major General U.S Mohammed from Army Headquarters Department of Administration to Nigerian Army Resource Centre and appointment Senior Research Fellow.

“Other senior officers affected in the redeployment are Major General PB Fakrogha, from Defence Headquarters Garrison to Defence Space Agency and appointed Director Policy Plans and Research, Major General MO Enendu, from Nigerian Army College of Logistics to Defence Headquarters and appointed Director Psychological Warfare, Major General AE Attu from Defence Headquarters Department of Defence Training and Operations to Defence Headquarters Garrison and appointed Commander, Major General BE Onyeuko from Defence Headquarters Directorate of Defence Media Operations to Defence Headquarters Department of Logistics and appointed Director Procurement.”

Meanwhile, defense analysts informed the magazine that the Airforce and Navy will soon follow suit with the Army by redeploying top commanders and appointing new ones, in line with the Buhari’s administration plan to reposition the military for the next phase of war against terrorism and banditry.

The analysts, however, insist that what is needed at the moment to defeat terrorism is coordination among the military; Army, Airforce, Navy including the Nigerian Police Force, NPF.