COAS appoints senior officers to key command and staff positions
BY: Zagazola Makama
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has approved the posting and appointment of senior officers to strategic command, staff, and instructional positions across Nigerian Army formations and institutions.
The redeployments, according to a statement by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lt.-Col. Appolonia Anele, are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen command structures, enhance leadership, and boost operational efficiency.
Among those affected are Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Alabi, who becomes Chief of Policy and Plans (Army); Maj.-Gen. Jamal Abdulsalam, appointed Chief of Defence Operations at Defence Headquarters; and Maj.-Gen. Peter Mala, who takes over as Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).
Others include Maj.-Gen. Samson Jiya, now Chief of Defence Accounts and Budget; Maj.-Gen. Mayirenso Saraso, appointed Chief of Operations (Army); and Maj.-Gen. Isa Abdullahi, now Chief of Administration (Army).
Maj.-Gen. Musa Etsu-Ndagi assumes duty as Chief of Civil-Military Affairs, while Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Haruna has been appointed Commander, Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC), Kontagora. Maj.-Gen. Philip Ilodibia moves to Defence Space Administration as Chief of Defence Space Administration.
Also appointed were Maj.-Gen. Godwin Mutkut as Corps Commander Infantry; Maj.-Gen. Umar Abubakar as Commander Armour Corps; Maj.-Gen. John Adeyemo as Corps Commander Artillery; and Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Abdullahi as Corps Commander Signals.
In addition, Maj.-Gen. Taofik Sidick is now Chief of Accounts and Budget (Army); Maj.-Gen. Abdullahi Ibrahim, Corps Commander Ordnance; Maj.-Gen. Adeyinka Adereti, Corps Commander Electrical and Mechanical Engineers; and Maj.-Gen. Nansak Shagaya, Corps Commander Supply and Transport. Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed was appointed Acting Corps Commander Education.
For training institutions, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye was appointed Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna; Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Mustapha, Commandant, Nigerian Army Signal School; Maj.-Gen. Adamu Hassan, Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Artillery; and Brig.-Gen. John Bulus, Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Finance and Accounts.
Field appointments include Maj.-Gen. Saidu Audu as Force Commander, Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), N’Djamena; Maj.-Gen. Warrah Idris as Commander, Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA; and Maj.-Gen. Oluremi Fadairo as General Officer Commanding, 82 Division, and Commander, Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA.
The COAS also appointed Maj.-Gen. Olatokunbo Bello as Director, Defence Media Operations, and Brig.-Gen. Samaila Uba as Director, Defence Information.
Lt.-Gen. Shaibu charged the newly appointed officers to deploy their professional experience and strategic foresight in enhancing discipline, combat readiness, and inter-agency cooperation. He also urged them to sustain ongoing operational gains and uphold the army’s core values of loyalty, integrity, and excellence.
