- * Task New Service Chiefs Appointees On Loyalty, Dedication To Anti-Insurgency War
By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief/Defence Correspondent)@CeleOkaf11
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, surprised his numerous critics and cynics, by appointing an Igbo-born officer, Major General Lucky Eluonye Onyenucheya. Irabor, as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Among the new Service Chiefs also appointed by the President are: Major-General Ibrahim Attahiru (Chief of Army Staff); Rear Admiral Awwal Zubaru Gambo (Chief of Naval Staff) and Air-Vice Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao (Chief of Air Staff).
Irabor who was a former Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East zone where the insurgency has wrecked so much havoc on the nation replaces General Abayomi Olonisakin, the out-going CDS, who was removed along with the other military Service Chiefs. The former Service Chiefs were commended for a job well done despite the daunting challenges of combating the menace of insurgency in the country.
President Buhari in a surprise move to re-energize the war against insecurity in the land and the insurgency ravaging the country, especially the North-East part of Nigeria, relieved the former Service Chiefs of their appointments. The President accepted the immediate resignation of the Service Chiefs, and their retirement from service.
The former Security Chief involved are: General Abayomi Olonisakin (the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS); Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai (Chief of Army Staff); Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas (Chief of Naval Staff) and Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Chief of Air Staff).
A statement on Tuesday by President Buhari's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said the President thanks the outgoing Service Chiefs for what he calls their “overwhelming achievements in our efforts at bringing enduring peace to our dear country,” wishing them well in their future endeavours.
The new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Major General Lucky E.O Irabor is a Regular Course 34 officer in the Nigerian army who attained that rank in 2014 and has served as Theatre Commander of the tactical operations against the Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency in the North East, Operation Lafiya Dole. The new CDS is an experienced soldier who hails from the Ika stock, an Igbo-speaking people of Agbor in Anioma area of Delta State.
NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER reliably gathered from Defence sources on Tuesday, that the new CDS is a dependable, loyal and committed military officer known in Defence circle as always discharging his official responsibilities with commitment and dedication to the satisfaction of his military superiors. Before he was appointed new CDS, Major General Lucky Irabor was the immediate Chief of Training and Operations, Defence Headquarters, who took over the job from Major General A. A Tarfa.
General Irabor is said to be an Alumnus of the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College Ghana, the National Defence College, Bangladesh, and Harvard Kennedy School of Government Executive Programme, USA. He is also a trained Engineer from Obafemi Awolowo University and holds two Masters Degrees from the University of Ghana, Accra, and Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka.
As the CDTOPs, he oversees training and operations in the Armed Forces of Nigeria under the direction of the Chief of Defence Staff. Specifically, he undertakes periodic reviews of a broad range of policies and activities relating to training and operations in the Armed forces. In addition to his schedules, he is the Chairman of the AFN Committee on COVID-19. The Committee is working to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease in the establishments of the Armed forces in line with Nigeria Centre for Disease Control protocols. The Committee is also giving support to the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, including the deployment of Medical Personnel across the country to boost the available manpower in the management of the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria.
The new CDS, Major General Lucky E. O Irabor was formerly the Theatre Commander of OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE in North-East Nigeria, as well as the Force Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin Area. The operations focused on Counter-Terrorism/Counter-insurgency. Irabor is a distinguished awardee of several militaries, ECOMOG and United Nations Awards and Medals. He is also a widely travelled senior military officer.
However, the new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Attahiru Ibrahim, replaces his erstwhile boss, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, as head of military ground soldiers/troops. He was born on August 10, 1966, and hails from Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Before new appointment as Chief of Army Staff, Major General Attahiru Ibrahim was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu. He was appointed to lead the offensive against Boko Haram in the North-East in May 2017.
General Attahiru was eventually replaced with another Army General, Nicholas Rogers, who led a special military and police force to tackle ethnic clashes in the volatile central region. He once took over from the new CDS, Major General Lucky Irabor, as the Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole.
The new Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Ama was born on September 14, 1965, at Enugu. He hails from Oshogbo Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria. He enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force on 19 January 1984 as a member of 35th Nigerian Defence Academy Regular Course and was commissioned as Pilot Officer on 20 December 1986.
Among the academic qualifications of the new Air Chief are: Master of Science (MSc) in Defence and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras India, Master of Military Science and Strategy (MMSc) and Advance Diploma in Defence and Strategy Studies from National Defence University (NDU) China, Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations and Diplomacy from Kaduna Polytechnic Nigeria, National Diploma in Freshwater and Fisheries Technology from Federal College of Freshwater and Fisheries Technology (FCFFT) New Bussa, Nigeria, and Nigerian Defence Academy Certificate of Education.
Air Vice-Marshal Amao has equally attended the following courses: Primary Flying Training, at 301 Flying Training School Kaduna Nigeria; Basic Flying Training at 303 Flying Training School Kano Nigeria; Tactical Fighter Training at 99 Air Combat Training Group Kainji Nigeria; Instructor Pilot Course at 301 Flying Training School Kaduna Nigeria; Junior Staff Course at Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji Nigeria; Senior Staff Course at Defence Services Staff College Wellington India; National Defense Course at National Defence University China; Aircraft Accident Investigation Course at Karachi Pakistan and also the Aircraft Accident Investigation in Civil Airline at Nigeria Civil Aviation Training School Zaria Nigeria.
AVM Amao has held several appointments, which include: Squadron Pilot at 99 Air Combat Training Group; Instructor Pilot at 301 Flying Training School; Instructor Pilot at 303 Flying Training School; Air Assistant to Chief of Air Staff at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force; Deputy Defence Adviser (Air) at Nigerian High Commission London; Acting Defence Adviser at Nigerian High Commission, London; Assistant Director Operations at Defence Headquarters, Abuja, Nigeria; Commander of 99 Air Combat Training Group; Commander of 75 Strike Group Yola Nigeria; Air Component Commander Operations ZAMALAFIYA and LAFIYA DOLE. (North-East Nigeria Operation); Deputy Theatre Commander (Air) Operation LAFIYA DOLE; Director of Policy at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force; Director of Training at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force; Director of Operations at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force; Air Officer Commanding Tactical Air Command, Makurdi, Benue state and Chief of Policy and Plans Nigerian Air Force.
Before he was appointed Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka. O. Amao was the Commandant Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Lagos. He has been severally decorated with awards. His decorations include Force Service Star (FSS); Meritorious Service Star (MSS); Distinguished Service Star (DSS); General Service Star (GSS); General Service Medal (GSM); River Benue Star (RBS); Passed Staff College (PSC); Fellow National Defence University (FNDU) China; Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI).
However, Air Vice Marshal Amao is a fighter instructor pilot with over 1500 jet and instructional hours. He is a recipient of the Chief of Air Staff letter of commendation for good leadership. He has participated in the following operations: Draw Down of AFISMA operation in Mali; Operation ZAMAN LAFIYA (North-East Nigeria operations); Operation LAFIYA DOLE (North-East Nigeria operations); Other internal security operations in Nigeria. Air Vice-Marshal Amao is happily married to Mrs Elizabeth Olubunmi Amao and they are blessed with 3 lovely boys. His hobbies include reading, dancing, travelling and volleyball playing.
The new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Zubaru, was born on April 22, 1966, and hails from Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Navy on September 24, 1984, as a member of the Regular Course 36 and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on September 24, 1988. Admiral Zubaru is known in military circles as a warfare specialist with a sub-specialization in Intelligence. He has attended several military courses which include Sub Technical course and Officers Long course, both at the NNS QUORRA. The new Naval Chief has also attended Junior Division 48/49 and Senior Course 26, both at AFCSC Jaji. Other courses he had attended, include the National Defence Course, at the South African National Defence College. Until his recent appointment as the Chief of Naval Staff, CNS, he was the Director of Procurement at the Defence Space Administration. He holds a PhD in Transport Management and a Masters Degree in Transport Management (Logistic Option), both from Ladoke Akintola University.
The new Chief of Naval Staff is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM; a Fellow of the Certified Institute of Shipping; Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria, as well as a fellow of the National Defence College, South Africa. Rear Admiral Zubaru has been awarded the Grand Service Star Distinguished Service Star and the Passed Staff Course, among several other decorations and awards he has garnered. He is married to Hajia Nana Aishat Gambo, and they are blessed with three children.
However, in the Presidential statement on the appointment of the new Service Chiefs, President Muhammadu Buhari, congratulates them and urges them to be loyal to the country and his administration and also show total dedication in the discharge of their official responsibilities as the nation's new security chiefs. NNL.
