Shake-up as Army Again Redeploys Major Generals, GOCs, Others

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Nigerian Army Headquarters yesterday announced the redeployment of General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), Corps Commanders, Brigade Commanders and other senior officers, as well as the appointment of new ones to various positions.
It said in a statement that the new posting was an effort to ensure administrative and operational efficiency in the Nigerian Army because of recent operational successes recorded in combating emerging security challenges.

It said the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen Faruk Yahaya, approved the redeployment of Major Generals,  and Brigadier Generals amongst several other senior officers across the Nigerian Army formations and units in the country.

The statement signed by Army Spokesman, Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, listed
those affected in the redeployment exercise to include some principal staff officers of the army headquarters, corps commanders, commandants of Nigerian Army training institutions, brigade commanders, commanding officers and several others.

Notable among the new General Officers’ Commanding (GOC) is Major General IS Ali from Headquarters 3 Division to Theatre Command as the new Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force, North East Operation Hadin Kai; Major General AB Ibrahim from Army Headquarters Department of Training to Headquarters 3 Division as the new GOC as well as Commander Operation Safe Haven, Major General AS Chinade from Headquarters 2 Division to Headquarters 82 Division as GOC; while Major General GM Mutkut is to assume command as the GOC 8 Division and Commander, Operation Hadarin Daji (NW) from Army Headquarters  Department of Policy and Plan.

The newly appointed Corps Commanders are  Major General CG Musa from Theatre Command to Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre as the new Corps Commander, Major General MS Ahmed from Headquarters Theatre Command (NE) to Headquarters Nigerian Army Armoured  Corps as Corps Commander,  Major General BR Sinjen from Nigerian Army School of Artillery to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery as the new Corps Commander, Major General PE Eromosele from National Defence College to Headquarters  Nigerian Army Engineers, Major General AA Ayannuga From Army Headquarters Department of Army Transformation to Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command, Major General GS Abdullahi from Defence Space Administration to Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals.

Among the new Defence and Army Headquarters Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) is Major General SE Udounwa who is redeployed from Army Headquarters Department of Special Services and Programmes to Defence  Headquarters as Chief of Defence  Training and Operations,  Major General SG Mohammed redeployed from Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans to the Department of Army Training as Chief of Training, Major General UT Musa from Headquarters 82 Division to the Department of Army Administration as Director Personnel Management, Major General Y Yahaya from Headquarters 31 Artillery Brigade to Department of Army Administration as the Director Manpower (Army) among, several others.

The statement further stated that Brigadier General TI Gusau is also redeployed from the Army Headquarters Department of Special Services to the Directorate of Defence Information as the new Director.

The newly redeployed brigade commanders include  Brigadier General AM Umar from the Office of the Chief of Army Staff to Headquarters Guards Brigade, Brigadier General S Aliyu from Headquarters 6 Division to Headquarters 63 Brigade, Brigadier General HD Bobbo from National Defence College to Headquarters 31 Brigade, Brigadier General MT Aminu from Army War College Nigeria to Headquarters 35 Brigade among several others.

“It is imperative to note that redeployment in the Nigerian Army is routine, particularly with the recent promotion of senior officers as approved by the Army Council for the year 2022.
“The redeployment of all appointees takes effect from 11 January 2022”, it said.