Army Chief charges officers to brass up sustain onslaught against terrorism, insurgency, other threats to national security

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, has directed all newly appointed senior officers “to redouble their effort and commitment to duty in ensuring the sustenance of the ongoing onslaught against terrorism, insurgency and other threats to national security, as they assume their new appointments”.

He gave the directive on Saturday while announcing a major reshuffle in the Nigerian Army, which he said was an effort to reposition the army for operational efficiency and functional administration.

The appointments cut across commands formations and units of Nigerian Army.

Those affected in the redeployment exercise include some Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) of the Army Headquarters (AHQ) General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Corps Commanders, Commandants of training institutions, Brigade Commanders, Commanding Officers, amongst others.

Some of the senior officers appointed as PSOs of the AHQ include Maj Gen AB Ibrahim who was posted from Headquarters 3 Division NA to the Department of Policy and Plans (DAPP) and appointed Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Maj Gen BR Sinjen posted from Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery (NACA) to the Department of Army Operations (DAOPs) and appointed Chief of Operations(Army) and Maj Gen OR Aiyenigba from Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police to Department of Army Standards and Evaluation and appointed Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation (Army). Others are Maj Gen NC Ugbo from Nigerian Army Signals School to Department of Civil Military Affairs and appointed Chief of Civil Military Affairs and Maj Gen E Akerejola from Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport to Army Headquarters Department of Logistics as the Chief of Logistics (Army).

Senior officers appointed as General Officers Commanding (GOCs) are Major General BA Alabi from Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) to Headquarters 1 Division as GOC, Maj Gen AE Abubakar from Headquarters 7 Division to 3 Division as GOC 3 Division/Commander Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) and Maj Gen PP Mala, who was posted from Depot Nigerian Army to Headquarters 7 Division as GOC/ Commander Sector 1 Joint Task North East (NE) Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK).

Others are Maj Gen GU Chibuisi from HQ Multinational Joint Task Force Ndjamena (MNJTF) to Theatre Command Joint Task Force NE Operation (OPHK) and appointed Theatre Commander, while Maj Gen IS Ali was redeployed from Theatre Command Joint Task Force NE OPHK to HQ MNJTF as the Force Commander and Maj Gen EAP Undiandeye whose redeployment from Martin Luther Agwai International Peace Keeping Centre to Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) as Chief of Defence Intelligence has been formalised.

Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said in a statement: “Senior officers appointed as Corps Commanders include Maj Gen OO Oluyede as the Commander Infantry Corps, Maj Gen MG Kangye from Department of Civil Military Affair s(DCMA) to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery and appointed Commander. “Others are Maj Gen AA Adeyinka from Nigerian Army College of Logistics and Management (NACOLM) to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport and appointed Commander.

“Other senior officers also affected in the redeployment are Maj General KO Aligbe who is appointed as Commander Training and Doctrine Command, Maj Gen JO Ochai, from Defence Headquarters to Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and appointed Commandant, Maj Gen IB Maina posted from Department of Policy and Plans to Army War College Nigeria and appointed Commandant.

“Equally redeployed are Brig Gen TB Ugiagbe who is appointed Acting Chief of Military Intelligence (Army), Brig Gen OG Onubogu from Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre to Martin Luther Agwai International Peace Keeping Centre as Commandant, while Brig Gen N Ashinze moves from Department of Civil Military Cooperation to Defence Intelligence Agency as Director Fusion. 

“The Nigerian Army has also formalised the redeployment of Col AO Onasanya from Army War College Nigeria to Headquarters Guards Brigade as Acting Commander.”