By Odita Sunday
The Nigerian Army has carried out a major reshuffle of its senior leadership, redeploying commanders and principal staff officers to key operational and strategic positions as part of efforts to strengthen the Service’s response to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying the redeployments were approved by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu, to enhance operational effectiveness, strengthen leadership and align the Army’s command structure with current security demands.
Anele said the exercise prioritised critical operational theatres and strategic appointments to ensure that officers with the required leadership experience and expertise were positioned to deliver decisive operational effects.
She said Major General IA Ajose had been moved from the Army Headquarters, Department of Army Operations, to the Theatre Command, Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, as Theatre Commander.
His deployment comes as part of the Army’s efforts to reinforce leadership in the North-East theatre, where troops are engaged in sustained operations against terrorist threats.
Anele said Major General AE Abubakar had been redeployed from Operation HADIN KAI to the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre as Dean, Faculty of Operational Research, while Major General AM Alechenu moved from the Defence Headquarters Garrison to the same centre.
Major General RT Utsaha, she added, had been redeployed from the Army Headquarters Department of Army Standards and Evaluation to the Defence Headquarters Garrison as Commander.
According to her, Major General AM Umar had moved from the Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs to the Army War College Nigeria as Commandant, while Major General UM Alkali moved from the college to the Department of Civil-Military Affairs.
Anele said Major General GS Muhammed had been redeployed from the Office of the National Security Adviser to the Nigerian Army Finance Corporation as Director General, while Major General JE Osifo moved from the corporation to the Military Pension Board as Chairman.
She added that Major General IE Ekpenyong had been redeployed to the Defence Headquarters Department of Defence Logistics as Director, Engineering Services.
At the operational level, Anele said Brigadier General AA Bello had moved from 6 Division Garrison/Sector 3 Joint Task Force South-South, Operation DELTA SAFE, to the Defence Headquarters Department of Defence Operations.
She said Brigadier General MS Adamu had been redeployed from the Nigerian Army Women Command to the newly established 8 Brigade as Commander, while Brigadier General MS Sule moved from Special Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE to 27 Task Force Brigade as Commander.
Also, Brigadier General I Sule moved from the Directorate of Recruitment Management to 6 Division Garrison as Commander, while Brigadier General E Azenda moved from the Land Forces Simulation Centre to 2 Division Garrison as Commander.
Brigadier General AS Bugaje, she said, moved from 2 Division Garrison to the Land Forces Simulation Centre as Director, Administration.
Anele said the Chief of Army Staff charged all the newly appointed officers to justify the confidence reposed in them through exemplary leadership, operational innovation, professionalism and unwavering commitment to duty.
She quoted Shaibu as urging the officers to remain focused on the Army’s constitutional responsibility of defending Nigeria’s sovereignty, protecting its territorial integrity and supporting civil authorities in maintaining peace and security.
Anele said the Nigerian Army remained committed to sustaining a dynamic leadership and force-employment framework capable of improving operational outcomes, strengthening joint and inter-agency coordination and enhancing its capacity to respond decisively to contemporary and emerging threats.
She said the latest postings were therefore intended to further advance the Army’s contribution to Nigeria’s national security objectives.
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