The Acting Chief of Army Staff, General Taoreed Lagbaja, has approved the appointment and redeployment of Major Generals, and Brigadier Generals among several other senior officers across Nigerian Army formations and units in the country.
According to a statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, the new development is in continuation of the effort to rejig the Nigerian Army (NA) towards ensuring administrative and operational efficiency.
While noting that redeployment in the Nigerian Army is routine, Onyema, however, noted that the recent retirement of some senior officers as a result of the appointment of the new Army leadership contributed to the latest redeployments.
“It is imperative to note that redeployment in the Nigerian Army is routine, particularly with the recent retirement of some senior officers as a result of the appointment of the new Army leadership. The redeployments take effect from 3 July 2023,” he said.
The statement noted that those affected in the recent redeployment include some Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) of Defence and Army Headquarters, Corps Commanders, Commandants of NA Training Institutions, Brigade Commanders, Commanding officers and several others.
It further stated that notable among the new General Officers Commanding (GOCs) appointees are Major General VU Okoro from Department of Army Operations to Headquarters 2 Division as the new GOC, Maj Gen H.T Dada from Defence Intelligence Agency to Headquarters 82 Division as the GOC, Maj Gen M.T Usman redeployed to 81 Division as GOC from HQ 2 Division and Maj Gen KA Isoni who will assume Command as the Commander Army Headquarters Garrison, while Maj Gen A.E Abubakar is redeployed from Headquarters 7 Division / Sector 1 OPHK to Headquarters 3 Division NA as GOC and Commander Operation SAFE HAVEN .
The newly appointed Corps Commanders are Major General G.O Adesina, who has been redeployed from Defence Headquarters to Headquarters NA Signals Corps and appointed Corps Commander, Maj Gen O.O Oluyede from Office of the COAS
Directorate of Inspection and Compliance to Headquarters Infantry Corps as Corps Commander, while Maj Gen H.G Tafida has been redeployed from DICON to Headquarters Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as the new Corps Commander. Maj Gen E.L Ugwuoke is appointed Corps Commander Nigerian Army Ordinance Corps from AHQ Department of Logistics and Brig Gen S.I Musa as the new Acting Director Legal Service, while Brig Gen N.D Shagaya is now the Commandant Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport.
Among the newly redeployed Defence and Army Headquarters Principal Staff Officers are Major General E.V Onumajuru from Department of Special Services and Programmes (Army) to Defence Headquarters and appointed Chief of Defence Operations, Maj Gen E.S Buba from Defence Intelligence Agency to Defence Headquarters and appointed Director Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen O.R Aiyenigba from Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police and appointed Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation.
Also Maj Gen O.J Akpor has been appointed Chief of Administration (Army). Others are Maj Gen H.T Wesley from TRADOC to Army Headquarters as Chief of Special Services and Programmes (Army), Maj Gen Y Yahaya from Defence Headquarters to Department of Personnel Management and appointed Chief of Personnel Management, while Maj Gen I.M Jallo moves from Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans to Office of the COAS as Director Inspection and Compliance.
Other senior officers affected are Maj Gen E.A Anaryu from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre and appointed Deputy Commandant, Brig Gen N.J Edet from Headquarters 9 Brigade to Headquarters 14 Brigade as the new commander, while Brig Gen J.I.B Manjang was redeployed from Army War College Nigeria to the Nigerian Army College of Logistic and Management and appointed Deputy Commandant among several others.
