Army Redeploys 886 Officers …As 81 Division Gets New GOC

By: Okosun Dennis

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division Nigerian Army, Maj Gen Olu Irefin, has been redeployed to Headquarters 6 Division, Port Harcourt and appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC).

His redeployment is part of a major sweeping posting and appointment/ amendment and deletion of Nigerian Army officers signed by the Military Secretary (Army), Maj Gen GAT Ochigbano on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, dated 13 July, 2020.

The postings expected to take effect from 20th July, 2020 would see Major General GA Umelo taking over as the new General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Nigerian Army in Lagos.

Until his appointment, he was in charge of AHQ Department of Training and Operations, Abuja.

The posting list indicated that Major General LE Irabor has been posted from Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Abuja Department of Training and Operations to Training and Doctrine Command Minna and appointed Commander; Major General FO Agugo from 6 Division NA Port Harcourt to Headquarters NA Signal Corps, Apapa, Lagos as Corps Commander Signals; Major General M Mohammed from Headquarters NA Signal Corps Apapa Lagos to Office of the COAS and appointed Special Adviser NA University Biu.

Major General AM Dikko from Administrative Staff College of Nigerian, Badagry, Lagos to NA Training Centre Kontagora and appointed Commander; Major General US Yakubu from NA Corps of Artillery Kontagora to Army Headquarters Abuja (AHQ) and appointed Chief of Administration (Army); Major General BO Sawyer from AHQ Department of Policy and Plans to NA Armour School Bauchi and appointed Commandant; Major General IO Uzamere from NA College of Logistics Lagos now redeployed to AHQ Abuja Department of Logistics and appointed Chief of Logistics (Army).

“Also, Major General JO Akomolafe is now redeployed from Headquarters NA Armour Corps Bauchi to DHQ Abuja as Chief of Defence Standards and Evaluation; Major General CO Ude from NA Resource Centre Abuja to Defence Headquarters and appointed Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Major General HR Momoh from Defence Space Administration Abuja to AHQ Department of Policy and Plans and appointed Deputy Chief of Policy and Plans/ Director Special Duties; Major General AT Hamman from DHQ to AHQ Garrison and appointed Commander; Major General OA Akinyemi from Administrative Staff College of Nigeria to Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre Oshodi Lagos as Deputy Commandant.

Others are: Major General MH Magaji has been redeployed from NA Armoured School to Headquarters NA Armoured Corps and appointed Commander; Major General MA Masanawa from Defence Headquarters to NA Ordinance School Lagos as Commandant; Major General JI Unuigbe from AHQ Department of Logistics to DHQ and appointed Chief of Defence Logistics; Major General JGK Myam the erstwhile Commander AHQ Garrison Abuja is now the Commander NA Corps of Artillery.

“Major General SE Udounwa from AHQ Department of Policy and Plans to Army War College Abuja as Commandant; Major General MO Enendu from Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre to NA College of Logistics and appointed Commandant; Major General GS Abdullahi from DHQ to Land Forces Simulation Centre Nigeria and appointed Director General; Major General BN Salami from NA School of Supply and Transport is now redeployed to Headquarters NA Corps of Supply and Transport as Commander.

Also affected in the new redeployment include Major General FO Omoigui from AHQ Department of Training and Operations to Headquarters Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE Maiduguri and appointed Deputy Theater Commander; Major General IO Ehiorobo from NA School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering to Headquarters NA Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and appointed Commander; Major General KI Mukhtar from AHQ Department of Army Administration is now the Commandant Depot NA Zaria.

However, the former Commandant Army War College Nigeria, Major General C Ofoche has been redeployed to AHQ Department of Policy and Plans as Director Plans; Major General AB Ibrahim from AHQ Department of Training and Operations to Defence Space Administration is now Director Support Services, while Brigadier General IO Adewa is to remain in NA Properties Limited and appointed Acting General Managing Director.

Similarly, Brigadier General KA Kazir has been posted from Headquarters NA Engineers to Headquarters 43 Engineers Brigade as Commander, Brigadier General MU Abdullahi From NA Intelligence and Cyber Warfare School to 58 Signal Brigade and appointed Commander; Brigadier General MB Dala from NA Resource Centre to Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command Minna and appointed Director Exams.

Brigadier General BR Sinjen has been redeployed from Headquarters NA Corps of Artillery to AHQ Department of Training and Operations as Acting Director of Operations, Brigadier General SI Igbinomwanhia from 7 Division Garrison Maiduguri to AHQ Department of Training and Operations and appointed Acting Director Campaign Plan; Brigadier General HG Tafida from AHQ Department of Logistics to NA School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and appointed Acting Commandant; Brigadier General AO Arogbofa from 102 Division Equipment Support to AHQ Department of Logistics as Acting Director Equipment Maintenance, Brigadier General EC Lot from Land Forces Simulation Centre Nigeria to Headquarters 52 Signal Brigade as Commander.

Likewise, Colonel B Sarki is moved from Defence Intelligence College to 6 Military Intelligence Brigade and appointed Acting Commander while Colonel Kayode Ogunsanya has been redeployed from DHQ to Headquarters, Directorate of Army Public Relations and appointed Chief of Staff. Colonel Timothy Antigha has also been moved from Headquarters Multinational Joint Task Force Ndjamena, Republic of Chad to Defence Headquarters and appointed Acting Executive Director Armed Forces Radio, Colonel Mohammed Dole is moved from Headquarters Directorate of Army Public Relations to Headquarters Multinational Joint Task Force Ndjamena and appointed Military Public Information Officer.

Other officers involved in the new postings include Colonel AF Maimagani who is to remain in Headquarters Directorate of Chaplain Services (Roman Catholic) as Acting Director Chaplain (Roman Catholic).

However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai has enjoined all affected officers to take their new responsibilities/appointments seriously and discharge their duties professionally with utmost loyalty to the Nation and the Service while wishing all the officers well in their respective appointments.