72 senior officers redeployed in air force shake-up

The Nigerian air force (NAF) says it has redeployed 72 senior officers for operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Ibikunle Daramola, NAF’s spokesperson, said the officers comprised 27 air vice-marshal (AVMs), 30 air commodores, eight group captains, four wing commanders and three squadron leaders.

He said prominent among those affected by the new postings are; Emmanuel Anebi, who is now the chief of policy and plans headquarters NAF, and Nurudeen Balogun, who has been appointed as the chief of defence policy and plans at the defence headquarters (DHQ).

Charles Otegbade is to move to the National Defence College as the college secretary while Rufus Ojuawo is taking over as the chairman air expo and international liaison secretariat.

“Other appointments include those of AVM Napoleon Bali as the new Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Special Operations Command, Yenagoa, AVM Oladayo Amao as the new Chief of Training and Operations at HQ NAF,” he said in the statement.

Abdulganiyu Olabisi is posted to NAF logistics command, Ikeja as the air officer commanding (AOC), and John Baba as the new AOC tactical air command.

Daramola said Mahmoud Ahmed has been redeployed as the air secretary and Remigus Ekeh appointed as the new chief of standards and evaluation at the NAF headquarters.

Ibukun Ojeyemi is named director of policy NAF headquarters, Musibau Olatunji is named director of air engineering, while Peter Uzezi has been appointed as the new AOC mobility command.

“Also appointed are AVM Dahiru Sanda, who is now a Directing Staff at National Institute of Policy and Strategic studies, and AVM Ismaila Yahaya as the new Director of Training at HQ NAF, AVM Idi Lubo as Director NAF Transformation at HQ NAF,” the statement read.

“Also redeployed was AVM Mohammed Yakubu, redeployed as the Chief of Logistics HQ NAF and AVM Emmanuel Wonah as the new Director of Sports at DHQ.”

He said Paul Jemitola is the new director research and development at NAF headquarters, Anderson Kassimu is director, civil military relations at DHQ, and Ibrahim Ali is the new deputy commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna.

“Meanwhile, AVM Musa Tanko is to take over as Director of Space Utilization at DHQ while AVM Musa Muktar has been redeployed as the new Chief of Aircraft Engineering at HQ NAF,” the air force statement read.

“In addition, AVM Maxwell Nnaji has been appointed as the new Chief of Communication Information Systems at HQ NAF.”

Emmanuel Chukwu is now the new director earth observation at defence space administration and Aliyu Bello is the new chief of staff at headquarters special operations command.

Olusegun Philip is to take over as the new director of evaluation at NAF headquarters, while Abraham Adole has been appointed as the principal air staff officer to the chief of the air staff.

Ayodele Laoye is now director of procurement and Jika Sanda is the director of legal services NAF headquarters.

Daramola said the newly posted and redeployed officers are expected to take over their new offices not later than January 25.