The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, has effected a major shake-up in the Nigerian Army High Command, with the appointment of Major-General Lucky Irabor as the new Commander, Multi-National Joint Task Force.
General Irabor, who was Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole that led troops along with General Officers Commanding of 7 Divisions, 8 Task Force Division to defeat Boko Haram in Sambisa Forest, is being replaced with Major-General Ibrahim Attahiru as Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole.
General Attahiru, who was General Officer, Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, was until his appointment, Director of Administration, Defence Headquarters.
A new General Officer Commanding 8 Task Force Division, Borno, has also been appointed. He is Brigadier-General S. O. Olabanji. Olabanji was Commandant of Amphibious Training School, Calabar Major-General Ahmed Muhammed Dikko is the new General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna.
Dikko who is being redeployed from the Office of the National Security Adviser is taking over from Major-General Adeniyi Oyebade, who is appointed Chief of Logistics at Army Headquarters. Major General P. J. Dauke formerly GOC 3 Division, Jos is now the GOC 81 Division, Lagos.
He is taking over from Major-General E. B. Oyefolu, who is redeployed as Commander, Nigerian Army Training Centre, NATRAC, Kotangora. A new Acting GOC is appointed for 3 Division, Jos. He is Brigadier-General B. I. Ahanotu.
The redeployments affected 147 officers In a posting released by the Office of Military Secretary (Army), Major General R. O. Yusuf, formerly Commander, Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps, is now the Commander Training and Doctrine Command, TRADOC, Minna. Major-General Nani formerly GOC 5 Task Force division, is now Director, Research and Development at Training and Doctrine Command, Minna.
Major General L. O. Adeosun, formerly Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force, is now Director, Administration, Defence headquarters. Brigadier-General Victor Ezugwu, formerly GOC 7 division, Borno is the new Commandant, Nigerian Army Depot, Zaria The erstwhile Registrar of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Brigadier-General I. M. Yusuf, will be taking over as the Acting GOC 7 Division. He takes over from Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu.
Brigadier General MG Ali has been moved to Nigerian Army Special Forces School Buni Yadi, as Commandant from NATRAC, while Brigadier General I. M. Obot is Brigade Commander 26 Task Force Brigade. Brigadier General J. I. Unuigbe formerly of Army headquarters Logistics branch is the Acting Corps Commander, Nigerian Army Ordinance Corps; Brigadier General A. O. Quadri will move from the Office of the Chief of Army Staff to 25 Task Force Brigade as Commander.
Brigadier-General T. O. Olowomeye is the new Brigade Commander, 33 Brigade, Brigadier General. Also those affected in the new posting include some Commanders and Staff Officers at the Defence, Army Headquarters and Brigades. Brigadier-General of Azinta is Acting Commandant, Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre, Zaria; Brigadier-General A.M. Adetayo is the new Brigade Commander, 31 Brigade; Brigadier-General J. A. Ataguba is the new Brigade Commander, 32 brigade.
Brigadier-General I Isa is the new Brigade Commander, 13 Brigade, Calabar; Brigadier-General C Ofoche, formerly Brigade Commander 32 brigade is now Director Coordination, Army War College, Abuja. Brigadier-General B. R. Sinjen is new Brigade Commander, 37 brigade; Brigadier-General B. A.
Mohammed is new Brigade Commander, 23 brigade, Brigadier General AK Ibrahim, Brigade Commander 14 brigade. Brigadier-General K. A. Isoni is new Brigade Commander, 28Task Force Brigade; Colonel A. G. Fagge is the new Brigade Commander 31 brigade; Col A. Y. Yakubu is Brigade Commander 38 Task Force brigade.