In a massive shake-up on Friday, the Nigeria Army deployed its key
senior officers including General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Corps
Commanders and other senior officers.
The GOCs affected are Major General John Nwaoga of the 3 Division and
Major General Junaid Bindawa, 7 Division of the Nigeria Army.
The army authorities, in a statement signed by Brigadier General
Ibrahim Attahiru, out-going army spokesman, explained that the changes
were part of the fourth quarter postings and appointments of senior
officers.
Other affected senior officers include: Major General Chris
Olukolade, Director, Defence Information, Director, Army Public
Relations, Brigadier General Ibrahim Attahiru; Major General John Kwabe,
now Chief of Logistics, Defence Headquarters; Major General Ugo
Buzugbe, Commander, Nigerian Army Armoured Corps; Major General
Ebiobowei Awala, Military Secretary (Army) and Major General Olufemi
Adeosun, Director, Policy, Defence Headquarters.
Others are; Major General Sunday Adebayo, Commander, Nigerian Army
Education Corps; Major General Mohammed Idris, Commandant, Nigerian
Defence Academy; Major General Mobolaji Koleoso, Director, Armed Forces
Simulation Centre; Major General Letam Wiwa, Director, Military
Intelligence; Major General Patrick Akem, Director, Legal Service
(Army); Major General Charley Okoro, Director Peace Keeping Operations
Defence Headquarters, as well as Major General Obidah Ethan, Chief of
Civil -Military Affairs.
Also affected are: Major General Modibbo Alkali, Commandant, Nigerian
Army School of Artillery; Major General Shehu Yusuf, Commandant, Depot,
Nigerian Army; Major General Ahmed Mohammed, Commander, Nigerian Army
Training Centre; Major General Iliyasu Abbah, Commander, Joint Task
Force (Operation Pulo Shield); Brigadier General Arinze Ebenebe,
Commandant, Warrant Officers Academy; Brigadier General Ebenezer
Ogundana, Director of Army Reserve Recruitment and Resettlement;
Brigadier General Kasimu Abdulkarim, Director of Physical Training,
Brigadier General Enitan Ransome-Kuti, Commander, Multi-National Joint
Task Force; Brigadier General Ibe Nicholas, Commander, 23 Brigade;
Brigadier General Ohifeme Ejemai, Commander, 9 Brigade; Brigadier
General Bright Fibionumama, Commander, 3 Brigade; Brigadier General
Ibrahim Attahiru, Commander, 13 Brigade; Brigadier General Mustapha
Onoyiveta, Head, Nigerian Army Operations Monitoring Team; Brigadier
General Lanre Bello, Commander, 34 Brigade and Brigadier General Olajide
Laleye, among others.
Meanwhile, the presidency has ordered a round-the-clock surveillance
of all major installations across the country as part of security
arrangements put in place to ensure a continuation of the peace enjoyed
during the Christmas celebrations.
Already, the Nigerian Army has suspended all passes and annual leave
of its officers and men until after the New Year festivities.
It was reliably gathered that a signal from military authorities to
all General Officers Commanding (GOCs) and corps commanders ordered that
all annual leave and passes be put on hold and all officers and men on
leave be recalled with immediate effect.
The directive, it was gathered, was part of security measures put in
place during the festive period to be fully battle-ready to combat any
threat to public peace.
The Nigeria Police High Command has also deployed all the strike
forces, specialised units of the force, including the Police Mobile
Force (MOPOL), Counter-Terrorism Unit, Special Protection Unit, Federal
Highway Patrol and Explosive Ordinance Department to join forces with
the conventional police force in providing water-tight security
throughout the country during the festivities.
In continuation of its effort to ensure a hitch-free New Year
celebration, Inspector General of Police, M.D. Abubakar, rolled out the
directives at the end of a meeting with other members of the police
management team on Friday, where he reassured Nigerians, both at home
and in the diaspora, that massive security measures had been put in
place to ensure a hitch-free celebration nationwide.
Informed security sources also told Saturday Tribune on Friday that
while the security cordon in the North-East remained water-tight,
government had equally ordered security operatives across the country to
be vigilant and “take preemptive measures.”
According to the source, flash points in all volatile parts of the
country will continue to be raided by operatives to preempt any
undesirable occurrences while suspects are being picked up.
“These suspects will remain in custody till the end of the Yuletide.
They will all go through security screening while innocent ones among
them will be set free as soon as this critical period is over,” the
source disclosed.
The source added that some women and children abducted by terrorists
who attacked an army barracks in Bama, Borno State, last week had been
rescued by security forces who also made several arrests.
Source: Nigerian Tribune
Social Plugin