Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
…Replaces Them With Immediate Effect
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate retirement from service of all service chiefs, the inspector-general of police, advisers, and the comptroller-general of customs service as well as their replacements with immediate effect.
Those affected are Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor; the Chief of Army Staff, Farouk Yahaya; the Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo; the Chief of Air Staff, Isiaka Amao and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali. Others are the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, and the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Hameed Ali.
According to a statement from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), the newly appointed officers are Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (NSA), Maj. Gen. C.G. Musa (Chief of Defence Staff), Maj. T. A. Lagbaja (Chief of Army Staff), Rear Admiral E. A. Ogalla (Chief of Naval Staff), AVM H.B, Abubakar (Chief of Air Staff) and DIG Kayode Egbetokun (Acting Inspector-General of Police).
Others are Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye (Chief of Defence Intelligence), Col. Adebisi Onasanya (Brigade of Guards Commander), Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf (7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja), Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa (177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State), Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim (102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger), Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote (176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja)
Similarly, the president appointed other military officers in the Presidential Villa as follows: Maj. Isa Farouk Audu (Commanding Officer, State House Artillery), Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (Second-in-Command, State House Artillery), Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence), Maj. TS Adeola (Commanding Officer, State House Armament), Lt. A. Aminu (Second-in- Command, State House Armament),
The president also appointed of two more special advisers and two senior special advisers: Hadiza Bala Usman (Special Adviser, Policy Coordination), Hannatu Musa Musaw a (Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy), Senator Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel (Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (Senate), Hon. (Barr) Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim (Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives)
Tinubu also appointed Adeniyi Bashir Adewale as the acting comptroller general of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
“It is to be noted that 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.”
Ribadu (NSA) was born on November 21, 1960 and was the pioneer executive chairman of EFCC between 2003 and 2007. He was also the presidential candidate for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2011 general election.
He was the chairman of the Petroleum Revenue Task Force and in April 2009, he became a visiting fellow at the Centre for Global Development. Major-General Musa (CDS) was born in December 1967 and hails from Zangon Kataf in Kaduna State. He is a member of the 38th Infantry Course Nigerian Defence Army. He was commissioned on 21 September 1991.
The senior officer attended Marafa Danbaba Primary School, Sokoto between 1974 and 1978, Model Primary School Dorowa Road Sokoto 1978 and 1980. He proceeded to the Vocational Training Centre, Gaummi, Sokoto -1980 – 1981, Federal Government College Sokoto, 1981 – 1985, College of Advanced Studies, Zaria 1985 – 1986.
He attended the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) 1986 – 1990 where he was commissioned upon completion of studies. He obtained an Advanced Diploma in Security Management from University of Lagos (2007 – 2008), MSc (Mil Science) International College of Defence Studies – National Defence University Changing-Beijing China 2012-2013.
He attended several military and civil courses including, Mechanical Transportation Officers Course -1992, Young Officers Course (Infantry)-1993, Regimental Signal Officers Course -1998, Junior Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji -2000,Senior Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji -2004 – 2005,Advance Diploma in Defence and Strategies Course (China) – International College of Defense Studies National Defense University (ICDS-NDU) – ChangPing China – 2013.MSc (Military Science) – ICDS-BDU (China) – 2013, National Defence College at ICDS (China) – 2013 and Combined Joint Land Component Commander’s Course on Leadership at the US Army War College.-2017.
He has held command and appointment such as Platoon Commander at 192 Bn -1991, Intelligence Officer at 192 Bn -1993 – 1994, Administrative Officer at 2 Div Camp (Garrison) Pioneer Adjutant 195 Bn-2000, Operations Officer – NIBATT 8 UNAMSIL-2001 – 2002,195 Bn 2ic 2002 – 2003.g.149 Bn 2ic-2005 – 2006, General Staff Officer 1 Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division 2006 – 2007, Commanding Officer 73 Bn 2007-2009.
He was assistant director of Operational Requirement at Department of Army Policy and Plans 2009 – 2011. He was in the Infantry Representative/Member Training Team at Headquarters, Nigerian Army Armour Corps 2011 – 2012, deputy chief of staff Training/Operations at HQ Infantry Centre and Corp 2013 – 2014, Chief of Staff at HQ 2 Division 2014 – 2015. He served as commandant, Depot Nigerian Army -2015 – 2017, principal staff officer (Combat Arms) at Army HQ Department of Projects and Programmes 2017.
He was pioneer executive director of Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Ltd 2017 Commander 82 Division Task Force Brigade “Operation Last Hold” in the North East 2018, Commander Sector 3 “Operation Lafiya Dole” 2019, Commander Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region 2019, chief of general duties TRADOC 2019 – 2020, director of campaign planning, Army Headquarters, DATOPs – 2020, director of training Army headquarters – DATOPs – 2020, senior research fellow, Nigerian Army Research Centre 2021, theatre Commander of JTF (North East) “Operation Hadin Kai” 2021 till date. He is married and has four children.
Major General Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff (N/9322) was born on February 28, 1968 in Ilobu, Irepodun local government area of Osun State. He is a member of 39 RC of the Nigerian Defence Academy and attended local authority teachers College Demonstration School Osogbo between 1973 and 1979.
Lagbaja also attended St Charles Grammar School, Osogbo from 1979 – 1984. He proceeded to the Polytechnic, Ibadan from 1984 to 1986 and obtained a West African School Certificate (Advanced Level). He was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy on 12 September 1987 as a member of 39th Regular Course and was commissioned as 2nd Lt on 19 September 1992 into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps.
The senior officer attended: Company Amphibious Operations Course – Amphibious Training School (May – June 1993). – C, Young Officers’ Course (Infantry) – Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (September – December 1993). – C+, Basic Airborne Course – Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (March – April 1995). – Not Graded, Advanced Airborne Course – Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (November – December 1995). – Not Graded, Amphibious Staff Operations Course – Amphibious Training School (September – December 1997). – C, Company Commanders’ Course – Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (February – May 2003). – C+, Battalion Commanders’ Course – Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (September – December 2009). – B, Junior Staff Course – Armed Forces Command and Staff (May – December 2000). – C+, Senior Staff Course – Armed Forces Command and Staff (August 2005 – July 2006). – C+, Military Observers Course – Peacekeeping Wing Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (February – May 2008). – B, ECOWAS Standby Force Battalion Command Post Course – Peacekeeping Centre, Bamako, Mali – (June – August 2010). – Not Graded, Strategy and Leadership Course – US Army War College (April 2003 – June 2014). – Not Graded, Command/Staff/Instructional Appointments, 93 Battalion – 1992 – 1995 as a Platoon commander, 72 Special Forces Battalion – 1995 – 2001 as a Platoon commander, Nigerian Defence Academy – 2001 – 2004 as an Instructor, Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations – 2004 – Grade 2 Staff Officer in charge of peacekeeping, Armed Forces Command and Staff College – July 2005 – February 2006 – Grade 2 Staff Officer in charge of training, Armed Forces Command and Staff College – 2006 – 2009 – Directing Staff, Headquarters 81 Division – 2009 – 2012 – Deputy Chief of Staff G1 (Administration), 72 Special Forces Battalion Makurdi – 2012 – 2013 and 2014 – 2015 –Commanding Officer, Headquarters 8 Task Force Division Monguno – 2016 – 2017 – Chief of Staff,Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations – January – December 2018 – Acting Director of Operations, Headquarters 9 Brigade, Ikeja, Lagos State – December 2018 – April 2019 – Commander, Headquarters 2 Brigade, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State – April 2019 – January 2020 – Commander, Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations – January 2020 – March 2021 – Director Force Generation, Headquarters 82 Division – March 2021 – August 2022 – General Officer Commanding, Headquarters 1 Division – August 2022 – Date – General Officer Commanding.
The senior officer is a Qualified Special Forces Officer (Airborne and Amphibious) who is keenly interested in the welfare of subordinates. He was promoted from Second Lieutenant – 12 September 1987 to Lieutenant – 12 September 1991, Captain – 12 September 1995, Major – 12 September 2000, Lieutenant Colonel – 12 September 2005, Colonel – 12 September 2010, Brigadier General – 12 September 2015 and Major General – 12 September 2019.
He has earned the following honours and awards:Forces Service Star, Meritorious Service Star, Distinguished Service Star, Passed Staff Course (+), Fellows United States Army War College, Command Medal, Field Command Medal, Field Command Medal of Honour, General Operations Medal, Operation Harmony Medal, United Nations Peacekeeping Operation Medal, Operation LAFIYA DOLE Medal.
He holds BSc Geography from Nigerian Defence Academy (2001), MSc Strategic Studies – US Army War College (2014),Operations Participated: Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi Peninsula – January 1996 – June 2000, United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) – 2004 – 2005, “Operation Zaki” – September 2012 – April 2013/July 2014 – December 2015 – Internal Security Operation in Benue State, Operation LAFIYA DOLE – December 2015 – January 2018,Operation MESA/Operation UDO KA – March 2021 – August 2022 – Internal Security Operation in South East Zone Nigeria (Anambra/Abia/Ebonyi/Enugu and Imo States), Operation FOREST SANITY – Aug 2022 – Date – Internal Security Operation in Kaduna/Niger States.
The senior officer is happily married to Mrs Mariya Abiodun-Lagbaja and the marriage is blessed with two children. AVM Abubakar (Chief of Air Staff) was born on 11 September, 1970. He hails from Shanono local government area in Kano State and enlisted into the NAF as a member of NDA RC 39 and commissioned Pilot Officer on 19th September,1992.
According to a profile released by the Headquarters of Nigerian Air Force, the senior officer has attended several courses. Some of these include: Bachelor of Science Degree from the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna, ab initio, and Basic Flying Training Courses at the 301 Flying Training School, Kaduna.
He also attended Basic and Advanced Airborne Courses at Nigerian Army Infantry Centre and School, Jaji; Company Amphibious Operations Course at Nigerian Army Infantry Centre and School in Calabar; Junior and Senior Command and Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji and National Defence Course at the Nasser Higher Military Academy, Cairo – Egypt. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from ABU, Zaria.
Rear Admiral Ogalla (Chief Naval Staff) who hails from Enugu State is a member of 39 Regular Course, Nigeria Defence Academy. Before his appointment, he was the Director, Lessons Learnt, at NHQ (PPLANS). According to the Naval Headquarters, he was appointed director of lessons learnt on 01/02/2022.
His previous appointments include director, audit, on 17/03/2021. He was appointed DPR on 08/04/2019, Directing Staff at the National Defence College – 16/01/2017, Deputy Director, Hydrography – 28/03/2016 , at the Naval Headquarters, Commandant Hydrography School – 29th August, 2014.
The senior officer attended Post-NDC MSc Programme at University of Ibadan on November 3, 2014, and NDC Course 22 on 05/09/2013. He was R’APPT SO1 Instrument Hydro office on 01/02/2007, assistant director Career Planning 28/10/2011, Deputy Director ADMIN 14/03/2011 Hydro office, he was appointed BOO on 20/08/2009, SOII SURVEY 24/07/06 at the Hydro office, he attended the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Senior Course 28 on 03/08/05. He acquired the following service stars: GSS, DSS, MSS, FSS, psc, fdc, BSc Math.
Egbetokun (Acting IGP) was born on September 4, 1964 in Erinja, Yewa South local government area of Ogun State and he enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on March 3, 1990, as a cadet assistant superintendent of police.
He had his initial cadet training in the Nigeria Police Academy, and has attended many other courses within and outside the Police Force. He has worked in several Police commands and formations across the country and held command positions at various times. As a deputy superintendent of police in 1999, he was appointed the chief security officer to the governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, who is now the president.
In that capacity, he coordinated the security of the entire state while reporting to the governor. He has served as the commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos, Squadron Commander, Mopol 5, Benin, Benin City, Officer-in-Charge, Anti-Fraud Unit, FCT Command, Abuja, Chief Superintendent of Police, Administration, Lagos State Command Headquarters, Ikeja, Area Commander, Osogbo, Osun State Command and Area Commander, Gusau, Zamfara State Command among several others.
Egbetokun is not only a Police officer but a Mathematician. He graduated from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, with Bachelor of Science degree (BSC) in Mathematics in June 1987 and lectured Mathematics briefly at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, before his enlistment into the Police Force.
His other academic qualifications include MSC Engineering Analysis, also from the University of Lagos, Akoka, 1996, PGD in Petroleum Economics from Delta State University, Abraka, 2000, and an MBA from Lagos State University, Ojo, 2004.
On April 6, 2023, Egbetokun was decorated as the deputy inspector-general of police and supervising DIG for the South-West Geo-Political Zone, to man the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) Force Headquarters, Abuja.
(leadership.ng)
