Shake-up in Army with Appointments of GOCs, PSOs

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede, has appointed new General Officers Commanding (GOCs), new Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), new Corps Commanders, and a new Commander for, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in a strategic move to enhance operational effectiveness and administrative efficiency.

A statement issued yesterday by the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, said the newly appointed GOCs are Major General OT Olatoye from Nigerian Army School of Infantry, who is now posted to Headquarters 82 Division/Joint Task Force (JTF) South East Operation Udoka (OPUK) in Enugu as GOC 82 Division/Commander JTF OPUK, and Major General EF Oyinlola, who is redeployed from Department of Military Secretary to Headquarters 3 Division in Jos as GOC 3 Division/Commander Operation Safe Haven (OPSH).

According to the statement, other GOCs whose acting appointments were confirmed are Major General AGL Haruna of 7 Division/Commander Sector 1 JTF North East Operation Hadin Kai and Major General IA Ajose as GOC 8 Division/Commander Sector 2 JTF North-west Operation Fasan Yanma.

The statement also disclosed that Major General GM Mutkut was posted from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Headquarters Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Njamena as the Force Commander while Major General GO Adeshina was redeployed from Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals to Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre and appointed Director General.
Some of the senior officers appointed as PSOs at the Army Headquarters include: Major General LA Fejokwu, who was redeployed from the National Defence College to the Department of Army Administration as Chief of Administration (Army); Major General GU Chibuisi, from Nigerian Army Resource Centre to Department of Civil Military Affairs and as Chief of Civil Military Affairs; and Major General AS Ndalolo, also from the Nigerian Army Resource Centre to Department of Army Training as Chief of Training (Army).

Others include: Major General OS Abai, from the Department of Army Training to the Department of Army Transformation and Innovation, as Chief of Transformation and Innovation, and Major General JH Abdussalam, who moved from Headquarters 6 Division to the Department of Special Services and Programmes as appointed Chief of Special Services and Programmes.

Also appointed is Major General EI Okoro, redeployed from the Department of Army Logistics to the Department of Military Secretary as Military Secretary (Army).
The redeployment also featured Major General MC Kangye from Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery to Defence Headquarters as the Director of Media Operations.

Senior officers appointed as Corps Commanders include: Major General OC Ajunwa from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Headquarters Nigerian Army Armoured Corps as Commander, Major General HT Wesley from the Department of Special Services and Programmes to Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps, as Commander.
Also appointed is Major General TT Numbere from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Headquarters Nigerian Army Engineers as the Commander.

The list also showed that Major General NC Ugbo has been moved from the Department of Civil Military Affairs to Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals as the Commander, while Major General ZL Abubakar moved from the Department of Army Transformation and Innovation to the Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery and appointed Commander.

Also appointed is Major General AP Oguntola who was moved from Nigerian Army College of Education, Science and Technology to Headquarters Nigerian Army Education Corps as Corps Commander.

Other senior officers also affected by the redeployment are Major General J.O Sokoya, appointed Commandant of Nigerian Army Training Centre; Major General UM Alkali appointed Commandant, of Army War College Nigeria, while Major General FS Etim from the Department of Army Transformation and Innovation redeployed to Nigerian Army School of Infantry, as Commandant.
Major General AB Mohammed has been redeployed from the Department of Army Operations to Depot Nigerian Army as commandant.

Other newly appointed senior officers are Major General IE Ekpenyong, Commandant of Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering, and Major General A.O Adegbite as Commandant of Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport, while Brigadier General AM Umar is redeployed from Army War College Nigeria to Warrant Officers Academy as Commandant, among other officers.

The statement by Nwachukwu said: “The Chief of Army Staff has directed all newly appointed senior officers to bring renewed vigour, dedication and commitment to their duties, particularly while ensuring the sustenance of the ongoing onslaught against terrorism, insurgency and other threats to national security.

“He equally charged them to ensure that the welfare of troops remained paramount as they assumed their new appointments.
“The reshuffling underscores the Nigerian Army’s commitment to ensuring a robust and dynamic leadership structure capable of addressing emerging security challenges.”