Breaking: COAS Yahaya shakes up army’s top brass

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya, has approved the appointment of Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), Field Commanders and other key staff officers.

The appointments, according to the Director Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, were meant to provide the needed vigour in the Nigerian Army (NA).

Nwachukwu in a statement released Saturday night said that the Chief of Operations (Army), Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf, is now the Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

Maj.-Gen. B.O Sawyer is the new Director of Defence Information.

Maj.-Gen. TA Gagariga would move from Army Headquarters, Department of Policy and Plans, to the Nigerian Army Artillery Corps as Commander and Maj.-Gen. Victor Ezugwu becomes the Commander, Infantry Corps.

Maj.-Gen. MA Yekini is the new Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Maj.-Gen. MS Yusuf takes over as Chief of Defence Standard and Evaluation, while Maj.-Gen. Anthony Omozoje is the new Chief of Policy and Plans (Army).

Maj.-Gen. SO Olabanji has been appointed the Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), while Maj.-Gen. OA Akintade would be the new Chief of Army Logistics.

Chief of Operations (Army) is now Maj.-Gen. OT Akinjobi, while Maj.-Gen. James Ataguba is the new Chief of Army Standard and Evaluation.

Maj.-Gen. KI Mukhtar becomes the Chief of Administration (Army).

Maj.-Gen. C Ofoche is the new Chief of Transformation and Innovation, with Maj.-Gen. AB Ibrahim appointed as Chief of Training (Army).

“Among the new field commanders are Maj.-Gen. Abdul-Khalifa Ibrahim who takes over as the Force Commander, Multi National Joint Task Force, N’Djamena, and Maj.-Gen. IS Ali, who becomes the General Officer Commanding 3 Division would also double as the Commander Special Task Force ‘Operation Safe Haven’.

“The COAS equally approved the appointment of Commanders, Commandants of NA Institutions, Directors and other key appointments at both Defence and Army levels.

“The appointments are aimed to rejig for efficiency in command and administration within the Nigerian army and these appointments take effect immediately,” Nwachukwu said