President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday retired all service chiefs and appointed new ones. The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, was also replaced. Tinubu equally renamed… 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday retired all service chiefs and appointed new ones.

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, was also replaced.

Tinubu equally renamed Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser (NSA). He was last week named Special Adviser on Security Matters to the president.

Yesterday’s appointments were contained in a statement signed by Willie Bassey, Director, Information in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

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The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Hameed Ali, was also replaced.

A former Theatre Commander Operation Hadin Kai, Maj.-Gen. C.G. Musa (Kaduna, North West) has replaced Gen. Lucky Irabor as the Chief of Defence Staff while Maj.-Gen. T. A. Lagbaja (Osun, South West) replaces Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya as the Chief of Army Staff.

In the same vein, Air Vice Marshal H. B. Abubakar (Kano, North West) replaces Air Marshal Oladayo Amao as Chief of Air Staff, while Rear Admiral E. A. Ogalla (Enugu, South East) replaces Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo as the Chief of Naval Staff.

The president noted that Maj.-Gen. EPA Undiandeye has also been appointed as the Chief of Defence Intelligence. He replaces Maj.-Gen. S. A. Adebayo.

Similarly, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police representing South West zone in the police management team, Kayode Egbetokun, was also appointed to replace IGP Usman Baba in acting capacity, while Adeniyi Adewale has been appointed as the Acting Comptroller General of Customs.

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The statement said the appointed Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Comptroller General of Customs are to act in their positions pending their confirmation in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

Other appointments

President Tinubu also approved the appointment of Col. Adebisi Onasanya as the Brigade of Guards Commander; Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf as Commander 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja and Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa, 177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State.

Others include: Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger and Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

Similarly, the president approved the appointments of other military officers in the Presidential Villa.

They are: Maj. Isa Farouk Audu (N/14695) Commanding Officer State House Artillery; Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (N/16183) Second-in-Command, State House Artillery; Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (N/14656) Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence; Maj. TS Adeola (N/12860) Commanding Officer, State House Armament, and Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578) Second-in- Command, State House Armament. 

Hadiza Bala, Hannatu Musawa appointed SAs 

Tinubu also approved the appointments of two allies of the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, as additional special advisers as well as two senior special assistants.

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They are Hadiza Bala Usman as Special Adviser, Policy Coordination; Hannatu Musa Musawa as Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy; Sen. Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (Senate) and Hon. (Barr) Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives). 

Ex-JTF Commander in North East takes over from Irabor

Maj.-Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa, a member of Course 38 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy who was born in Sokoto State, North West, on December 25, 1967, is expected to take over from Gen. Lucky Irabor.

Musa attended primary and secondary in Sokoto, although he is originally from Zangon Kataf LGA Southern of Kaduna.

The senior military officer was admitted into the NDA in 1986 where he underwent military training for five years at a time the military held political power in the country.

In September 1991, he was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a second lieutenant in the Infantry Corps, one of the most difficult sections of the army.

Until his new appointment, in 2021, he was redeployed to be the Commander, Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai.

Meet the new army chief

Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy on September 12, 1987, as a member of the 39th Regular Course. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant on September 19, 1992, into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps.

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What new appointments mean for Nigeria’s security – Expert

Commenting on the development last night, a security and intelligence expert, Kabiru Adamu, described the appointment as balanced.

Adamu advised Tinubu to go further and ensure the full implementation of security sector reform and security sector governance.

He said, “The choice of individuals that have been appointed by President Tinubu including the newly appointed service chiefs have glorious antecedents including field experience in security challenged locations such as Kaduna and Borno.

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“This means they know and understand the security challenges in the country. There is fairness in the appointment reflecting federal character.

“There are other positions in the security sector that are yet to be appointed, so hopefully, there would be gender balance considering that there is no woman on the list.

“For synergy to be achieved in the security sector, the president has to go further and ensure the full implementation of security sector reform and security sector governance.

“This will allow a fully transparent and democratized security sector, and for accountability and monitoring and evaluation to be introduced effectively and efficiently.”

DAILYTRUST