Massive shake-up in Army, GOCs, Brigade Commanders, others moved + annual leave suspended

In a massive shake-up on Friday, the Nigeria Army
deployed its key senior officers including General
Officers Commanding (GOCs), Corps Commanders
and other senior officers.
The GOCsaffected are Major General John Nwaoga
of the 3 Division and Major General Junaid
Bindawa, 7 Division of the Nigeria Army.
The army authorities, in a statement signed by
Brigadier General Ibrahim Attahiru, out-going army
spokesman, explained that the changes were part
of the fourth quarter postings and appointments of
senior officers.
Other affected senior officers include: Major
General Chris Olukolade, Director, Defence
Information, Director, Army Public Relations,
Brigadier General Ibrahim Attahiru; Major General
John Kwabe, now Chief of Logistics, Defence
Headquarters; Major General Ugo Buzugbe,
Commander, Nigerian Army Armoured Corps; Major
General Ebiobowei Awala, Military Secretary (Army)
and Major General Olufemi Adeosun, Director,
Policy, Defence Headquarters.
Others are; Major General Sunday Adebayo,
Commander, Nigerian Army Education Corps; Major
General Mohammed Idris, Commandant, Nigerian
Defence Academy; Major General Mobolaji Koleoso,
Director, Armed Forces Simulation Centre; Major
General Letam Wiwa, Director, Military Intelligence;
Major General Patrick Akem, Director, Legal Service
(Army); Major General Charley Okoro, Director
Peace Keeping Operations Defence Headquarters,
as well as Major General Obidah Ethan, Chief of
Civil -Military Affairs.
Also affected are: Major General Modibbo Alkali,
Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Artillery;
Major General Shehu Yusuf, Commandant, Depot,
Nigerian Army; Major General Ahmed Mohammed,
Commander, Nigerian Army Training Centre; Major
General Iliyasu Abbah, Commander, Joint Task
Force (Operation Pulo Shield); Brigadier General
Arinze Ebenebe, Commandant, Warrant Officers
Academy; Brigadier General Ebenezer Ogundana,
Director of Army Reserve Recruitment and
Resettlement; Brigadier General Kasimu
Abdulkarim, Director of Physical Training, Brigadier
General Enitan Ransome-Kuti, Commander, Multi-
National Joint Task Force; Brigadier General Ibe
Nicholas, Commander, 23 Brigade; Brigadier
General Ohifeme Ejemai, Commander, 9 Brigade;
Brigadier General Bright Fibionumama,
Commander, 3 Brigade; Brigadier General Ibrahim
Attahiru, Commander, 13 Brigade; Brigadier
General Mustapha Onoyiveta, Head, Nigerian Army
Operations Monitoring Team; Brigadier General
Lanre Bello, Commander, 34 Brigade and Brigadier
General Olajide Laleye, among others.
Meanwhile, the presidency has ordered a round-
the-clock surveillance of all major installations
across the country as part of security arrangements
put in place to ensure a continuation of the peace
enjoyed during the Christmas celebrations.
Already, the Nigerian Army has suspended all
passes and annual leave of its officers and men
until after the New Year festivities.
It was reliably gathered that a signal from military
authorities to all General Officers Commanding
(GOCs) and corps commanders ordered that all
annual leave and passes be put on hold and all
officers and men on leave be recalled with
immediate effect.
The directive, it was gathered, was part of security
measures put in place during the festive period to
be fully battle-ready to combat any threat to public
peace.
The Nigeria Police High Command has also
deployed all the strike forces, specialised units of
the force, including the Police Mobile Force
(MOPOL), Counter-Terrorism Unit, Special
Protection Unit, Federal Highway Patrol and
Explosive Ordinance Department to join forces with
the conventional police force in providing water-
tight security throughout the country during the
festivities.
In continuation of its effort to ensure a hitch-free
New Year celebration, Inspector General of Police,
M.D. Abubakar, rolled out the directives at the end
of a meeting with other members of the police
management team on Friday, where he reassured
Nigerians, both at home and in the diaspora, that
massive security measures had been put in place
to ensure a hitch-free celebration nationwide.
Informed security sources also told Saturday
Tribune on Friday that while the security cordon in
the North-East remained water-tight, government
had equally ordered security operatives across the
country to be vigilant and “take preemptive
measures.”
According to the source, flash points in all volatile
parts of the country will continue to be raided by
operatives to preempt any undesirable occurrences
while suspects are being picked up.
“These suspects will remain in custody till the end
of the Yuletide. They will all go through security
screening while innocent ones among them will be
set free as soon as this critical period is over,” the
source disclosed.
The source added that some women and children
abducted by terrorists who attacked an army
barracks in Bama, Borno State, last week had been
rescued by security forces who also made several
arrests.