The Nigerian Army has made changes to its top generals, including the leader of the fight against Boko Haram in the North-east. A statement from army spokesperson Appolonia Anele on Wednesday confirmed this.
Major General IA Ajose will now lead Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), which is the main army operation against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in the North-east. He takes over from Major General AE Abubakar, who has been moved to the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre (NAHFC) as Dean of the Faculty of Operational Research.
Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), approved the redeployment of these senior officers. This is part of ongoing efforts to improve how the army operates, strengthen leadership, and adjust the army’s command structure to better deal with Nigeria’s changing security situation. The changes focus on key operational areas and appointments to ensure the right leaders are in place.
In this shake-up, Major General IA Ajose is moving from Army Headquarters (AHQ) in the Department of Army Operations to Theatre Command Joint Task Force (JTF) North East, where he will serve as Theatre Commander. Major General AE Abubakar is moving from OPHK to NAHFC. Other changes include Major General AM Alechenu moving from Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Garrison to NAHFC, and Major General RT Utsaha going from AHQ Department of Army Standards and Evaluation to DHQ Garrison as Commander.
Also, Major General AM Umar is shifting from AHQ Department of Civil-Military Affairs (DCMA) to Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) as Commandant. Major General UM Alkali is moving from AWCN to AHQ DCMA. Major General GS Muhammed is going from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to the Nigerian Army Finance Corporation (NAFIC) as Director General. Major General JE Osifo is moving from NAFIC to the Military Pension Board (MPB) as Chairman, while Major General IE Ekpenyong is now at DHQ Department of Defence Logistics as Director of Engineering Services.
At the operational level, Brigadier General AA Bello is moving from 6 Division Garrison/Sector 3 JTF South-South, Operation DELTA SAFE, to DHQ Department of Defence Operations. Brigadier General MS Adamu has been moved from Nigerian Army Women Command to the new 8 Brigade as Commander. Brigadier General MS Sule is shifting from Special Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE to 27 Task Force Brigade as Commander.
Brigadier General I Sule is being redeployed from the Directorate of Recruitment Management to 6 Division Garrison as Commander. Brigadier General E Azenda is moving from Land Forces Simulation Centre to 2 Division Garrison as Commander. Brigadier General AS Bugaje is going from 2 Division Garrison to the Land Forces Simulation Centre as Director of Administration.
The COAS has urged the new officers to prove they are worthy of the trust placed in them. He expects them to show strong leadership, operational creativity, professionalism, and dedication to their duties. They must focus on defending Nigeria’s sovereignty, protecting its territory, and supporting civilian authorities in maintaining peace and security.
The Nigerian Army is committed to maintaining strong leadership and a flexible force structure. This will help improve operational results, strengthen cooperation among agencies, and enhance the army’s ability to respond effectively to current and future threats as part of Nigeria’s national security goals.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇