Army Redeploys Generals, Appoints More GOCs, Commanders

Abuja, NIGERIA — Chief of Army Staff Major General Taoreed Lagbaja has approved the appointment and redeployment of Major Generals and Brigadiers General among several other senior officers across Army formations and units in the country.

The director, army public relations, Brig. Gen Onyema Nwachukwu in a statement said redeployments in the Nigerian Army is routine, particularly with the recent retirement of some senior officers as a result of the appointment of the new army leadership.

He said the redeployments are to take effect from July 3, 2023.

The Defence Headquarters had ordered senior military officers with seniority on commission above that of the current service chiefs to retire latest July 3, 2023.

This followed reports that some senior officers who are not comfortable with the appointment of the service chiefs by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are refusing to retire to give room for command and control.

The letter dated June 26, 2023 was signed by Major General Y. Yahaya on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen. Christopher Musa.

Those affected in the recent redeployment include some principal staff officers (PSOs) of Defence and Army Headquarters, corps commanders, commandants of Nigerian Army training institutions, brigade commanders, commanding officers and several others.

Notable among the new General Officers Commanding (GOCs) appointees are Major General VU Okoro from Department of Army Operations to Headquarters 2 Division as the new GOC, Maj Gen HT Dada moves from Defence Intelligence Agency to Headquarters 82 Division as the GOC, Maj Gen MT Usman is redeployed to 81 Division as GOC from HQ 2 Division and Maj Gen KA Isoni is to assume Command as the Commander Army Headquarters Garrison, while Maj Gen AE Abubakar is redeployed from Headquarters 7 Division / Sector 1 OPHK to Headquarters 3 Division NA as GOC and Commander Operation SAFE HAVEN.

The newly appointed Corps Commanders are Major General GO Adesina, who has been redeployed from Defence Headquarters to Headquarters NA Signals Corps and appointed Corps Commander, Maj Gen OO Oluyede from Office of the COAS.

Directorate of Inspection and Compliance to Headquarters Infantry Corps as Corps Commander, while Maj Gen HG Tafida has been redeployed from DICON to Headquarters Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as the new Corps Commander. Maj Gen EL Ugwuoke is appointed Corps Commander Nigerian Army Ordinance Corps from AHQ Department of Logistics and Brig Gen SI Musa as the new Acting Director Legal Services, while Brig Gen ND Shagaya is now the Commandant Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport.

Among the newly redeployed Defence and Army Headquarters Principal Staff Officers are Major General EV Onumajuru from Department of Special Services and Programmes (Army) to Defence Headquarters and appointed Chief of Defence Operations, Maj Gen ES Buba from Defence Intelligence Agency to Defence Headquarters and appointed Director Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen OR Aiyenigba from Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police and appointed Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation. Maj Gen OJ Akpor has been appointed Chief of Administration (Army). Others are Maj Gen HT Wesley from TRADOC to Army Headquarters as Chief of Special Services and Programmes (Army), Maj Gen Y Yahaya from Defence Headquarters to Department of Personnel Management and appointed Chief of Personnel Management, while Maj Gen IM Jallo moves from Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans to Office of the COAS as Director Inspection and Compliance.

Other senior officers affected are Maj Gen EA Anaryu from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre and appointed Deputy Commandant, Brig Gen NJ Edet from Headquarters 9 Brigade to Headquarters 14 Brigade as the new commander, while Brig Gen JIB Manjang was redeployed from Army War College Nigeria to the Nigerian Army College of Logistic and Management and appointed Deputy Commandant among several others.