Army chief appoints new GOCs, redeploys senior officers

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, has approved the posting and appointment of senior officers of the Nigerian Army.

Army Director of Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, who announced this in a statement on Tuesday, informed that the development was part of efforts to rejig and reinvigorate the service.

Those affected in the reshuffle released on Monday included General Officers Commanding (GOCs) and other senior officers.

Major General GA Umelo was redeployed from Defence Simulation Centre to Defence Headquarters (Defence Research and Development Bureau) as the Director-General, Major General V Ebhaleme would remain in Defence Space Administration but now appointed Director of Support Services, while Major General GB Audu was redeployed from Defence Administration to Nigerian Army Resource Centre and appointed Senior Research Fellow.

Others are Major General SE Udounwa from Army War College Nigeria to the newly established Army Headquarters Department of Special Services and Programmes and appointed Chief of Special Services/ Programmes (Army); Major General MT Durowaiye from Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans to Army Headquarters Department of Administration (Army) and appointed Director of Veteran Affairs Directorate; Major General AE Attu from Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans to Defence Training and Operations and appointed Director of Peace Keeping Operations; and Major General UT Musa from Department of Administration (Army) to Headquarters 81 Division and appointed General Officer Commanding.

Similarly, Major General CU Onwunle was redeployed from Directorate of Automated Data Processing to Defence Headquarters (Department of Communications) and appointed Director of Communications; Major General OO Oluyede from Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans to Headquarters 6 Division and appointed General Officer Commanding; Major General LT Omoniyi from Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs to Army Headquarters Department of Operations and appointed Director of Campaign Planning; Major General OJ Akpor from Nigerian Defence Academy to Defence Headquarters (Directorate of Defence Information) and appointed Director of Defence Information, Major General AA Eyitayo from 7 Division to Defence Headquarters and appointed Director of Campaign Planning, Major General LA Fejokwu from 81 Division to Defence Headquarters (Department of Standard and Evaluation) and appointed Director of Standard and Evaluation; and Major General JAL Jimoh from Nigerian Army School of Artillery to Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command and appointed Chief of Training.

Also, Major General HT Wesley moved from Office of the Chief of Army Staff to Headquarters, Defence Intelligence Agency and appointed Director of Administration; Major General JO Ochai from Army Headquarters (Department of Operations) to Nigerian Army Armour School and appointed Commandant; Major General SG Mohammed from 6 Division to Army Headquarters (Department of Policy and Plans) as Deputy Chief of Policy and Plans.

Other senior officers affected in the reorganisation include Brigadier General AS Maikano from Nigerian Army Welfare Insurance Scheme to 82 Division and appointed Commander Division (Finance and Accounts), Brigadier General LA Lebo from Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery to Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and appointed acting Deputy Chief of Training (Linkages/Integration); Brigadier General MO Ihanuwaze from Defence Headquarters to Nigerian Army Budget and appointed Director of Budget and Accounts; Brigadier General O Adegbe from Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command Nigerian Army to Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs and appointed Director of Psychological Operations.

Lieutenant General Yahaya asked all the newly appointed senior officers to justify the confidence reposed in them and redouble their commitment to duty in their new appointments.

He stressed that the newly appointed senior officers must ensure value addition in their respective commands and appointments.