Gabkwet named spokesperson as air force announces major shake-up

The Nigerian air force (NAF) has appointed Edward Gabkwet as its new spokesperson.

The appointment is part of a major rejig of branch commanders and senior officers of the air force.

Gabkwet, an air commodore, takes over from Ibikunle Daramola, an air vice-marshal who had been the spokesperson since 2018.

In a statement signed by Daramola, who has now been redeployed as director of plans, the air force said the rejig is part of a routine exercise aimed at reinvigorating operational effectiveness and enhancing service delivery.

“The newly appointed Branch Chiefs are Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Dahiru Sanda, who is now the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans (CDPP), Defence Headquarters (DHQ), AVM Remigus Ekeh, erstwhile Chief of Standards and Evaluation Headquarters NAF (HQ NAF), who is now appointed Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP), HQ NAF, former AOC Mobility Command (MC), Yenagoa, AVM Ibukun Ojeyemi, is now appointed as the Chief of Air Intelligence (CAI), HQ NAF, while AVM Mahmud Madi has been appointed as the Air Secretary, HQ NAF,” the statement read.

“Also affected by the new appointments are AVM Mahmoud Ahmed, who is now the Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation (CDTI), DHQ, AVM Cletus Udeagulu is now the Chief of Communication Information Systems (CCIS), HQ NAF while AVM Isah Muhammad is appointed Chief of Administration, (COA), HQ NAF. AVM Pam Chollom has been appointed as the Chief of Logistics (CLOG), HQ NAF, while the former AOC, Air Training Command (ATC), Kaduna, AVM Musa Mukhtar has been moved to HQ NAF as the Chief of Aircraft Engineering (CAcE). The immediate past AOC, Tactical Air Command (TAC), Makurdi, AVM Olusegun Philip is now Chief of Standards and Evaluation (COSE), HQ NAF.

“In the same vein, the erstwhile COPP, HQ NAF, AVM Mohammed Idris has been appointed Commandant, Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Oshodi, the former Director of Plans, HQ NAF, AVM Ebenezer Alade, has been appointed Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, AVM Musibau Olatunji, erstwhile CAcE, now appointed as the Commandant Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna, while AVM Ibrahim Ali now takes over as the Commandant Air Force War College (AFWC), Makurdi. AVM Idi Lubo, former Director of Policy, has been appointed AOC TAC, Makurdi. AVM Jackson Yusuf is now the AOC ATC, Kaduna, AVM Aliyu Bello is now the AOC MC, Yenagoa while AVM Sunday Makinde, former College Secretary, National Defence College (NDC), is now the AOC, Logistics Command (LC), Ikeja. AVM Frank Oparah is appointed as the AOC Ground Training Command, Enugu while AVM Peter Uzezi is now the Director General, Defence Research and Development Bureau, DHQ.

“Former Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), AVM Ibikunle Dramola has been appointed as the Director of Plans, HQ NAF. AVM Garba Abubakar is appointed as the new Group Managing Director, NAF Holding Company, AVM Emmanuel Wonah as the Coordinator Project Implementation Monitoring Team, HQ NAF while former Commandant, AFCSC, AVM Abubakar Liman, is now the Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence, Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA). AVM Mfon Ekpoh has been redeployed to the Nigerian Defence Academy as Deputy Commandant while AVM Emmanuel Chukwu has been appointed as the College Secretary, NDC. Furthermore, AVM Abraham Adole is appointed as the Deputy Theatre Commander, Operation LAFIYA DOLE (OPLD) while Air Commodore (Air Cdre) Nnamdi Ananaba, takes over as the Air Component Commander OPLD.

“Also, Air Cdre Dauda Prayero has been appointed as the new Chairman Air Expo and International Liaison Secretariat while Air Cdre Olabode Babalola takes over as the Chief of Medical Services (CMS), HQ NAF. Air Cdre Edward Gabkwet has been appointed as the new NAF Spokesperson.”

The air force said the newly appointed and redeployed senior officers are expected to begin work not later than March 11.