Tinubu sacks all Service Chiefs, IG, CG customs, advisers

•Appoints Bala-Usman, Musawa, Gumel, Ibrahim, others SAs

•Dissolves boards of parastatals, agencies, government-owned coys

Chiemelie Ezeobi in Lagos and Olawale  Ajimotokan in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate retirement of all Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of  Police, Advisers, and the Comptroller-General of Customs from Service and appointed their replacements with immediate effect.

The president, who also appointed some Special Advisers in different capacities, has equally approved the immediate dissolution of the governing boards of all federal government parastatals, agencies, institutions, and government-owned companies,

However, the Service Chiefs sent on immediate retirement were the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen General Farouk Yahaya, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo.

A statement yesterday by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, announced the retirement of the affected officers.

The statement signed by the Director, Information Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, on behalf of the SGF also stated that the president has appointed Maj. Gen. C.G Musa as the new  Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. T. A Lagbaja asChief of Army Staff, Rear Admirral E. A Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff and AVM H.B Abubakar as Chief of Air Staff.

Also appointed was Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the National Security Adviser, while DIG Kayode Egbetokun has been named the Acting Inspector-General of Police. Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye was appointed the Chief of Defence Intelligence.

Other appointments approved by the president, according to the statement included Col. Adebisi Onasanya as commander, Brigade of Guards;  Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf, 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja; Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa        177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State; Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim, 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger and Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote, 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

The president also approved the appointments of other military officers for the Presidential Villa. They are Maj.  Isa Farouk Audu, (N/14695) Commanding Officer State House Artillery; Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu, (N/16183) Second-in-Command, State House Artillery; Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat,  (N/14656)         Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence, Maj. TS Adeola (N/12860),  Commanding Officer, State House Armament and Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578)  Second-in- Command, State House Armament.

Tinubu equally approved the appointments of two additional Special Advisers and two Senior Assistants. They are Hadiza Bala-Usman as Special Adviser, Policy Coordination; Hannatu Musa Musawa, Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy; Senator Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters  (Senate) and Hon. Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim,  Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters  (House of Representatives).

He  has approved, too, the appointment of Adeniyi Bashir Adewale as the Acting Comptroller General of Customs.

The statement stated that the appointed Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Comptroller General of Customs were to act in their positions, pending their confirmation in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Tinubu yesterday, approved the immediate dissolution of the governing boards of all federal government parastatals, agencies, institutions, and government-owned companies,

A statement issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, stated that the dissolution was carried out by the government in the exercise of its constitutional powers and in the public interest.

The action also confirmed the story reported by THISDAY on Sunday, to the effect that the President had given the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the go-ahead to dissolve and reconstitute the managements and boards of the agencies and parastatals.

According to the statement, the dissolution would not affect Boards, Commissions and Councils listed in the Third Schedule, Part 1, Section 153 (i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

It stated that in view of this development and until such a time new boards are constituted, the Chief Executive Officers of the parastatals, agencies, institutions, and government-owned companies are directed to refer matters requiring the attention of their boards to the President, through the Permanent Secretaries of their respective supervisory ministries and offices.

The statement also directed Permanent Secretaries to route such correspondences to the President through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The SGF further directed that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies are to ensure compliance to the provision of this directive which took effect from Friday 16th June, 2023.

PROFILES OF NEW SERVICE CHIEFS, INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE AND Acting Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs

Major General Christopher Gwabin Musa: Army Infantry Commander Makes CDS

Barely five months after he was deployed to head the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps, Major General Christopher Gwabin Musa has been tapped to become the Chief of Defence Staff.

Musa, who took over at the elite Infantry Corps from  Major General Victor Ezugwu, will upon confirmation in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, take over leadership of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) from General Lucky Irabor.

A square peg in a square hole, Major General Musa once served as Theatre Commander for Theatre Command North-East Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK).

A product of the Nigerian Defence Academy 1986, he has gone through the ranks and headed operations and commands including as Commandant of Depot Nigerian Army in Zaria.

Born Christopher Gwabin Musa in Sokoto State, North-west Nigeria on December 25, 1967, he attained primary and secondary education in Sokoto too. 

He is however from Zangon Kataf Local Government Area in Kaduna State. In 1986 he was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna State and on September 1991 he was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a second lieutenant in the Infantry Corps.

Of the Infantry Corps and a Member of the 38th Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy, General Musa has held the following appointments including Platoon Commander at 192 Battalion; Intelligence Officer at 192 Battalions; Administrative Officer at 2 Div Camp (Garrison); Pioneer Adjutant 195 Battalion; Operations Officer – NIBATT 8 UNAMSIL; 195 Battalion 2ic; 149 Battalion 2ic; and General Staff Officer 1 Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division.

Others include Commanding Officer 73 Battalion; Assistant Director Operational Requirement at Department of Army Policy and Plans; Infantry Representative/Member Training Team at HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps; and Deputy Chief of Staff Training/Operations at HQ Infantry Centre and Corp.

He was also Chief of Staff at HQ 2 Division; Commandant Depot Nigerian Army; Principal Staff Officer (Combat Arms) at Army HQ Department of Projects and Programmes; Pioneer Executive Director Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Ltd; and Commander 82 Division Task Force Brigade OP LAST HOLD in the North East.

Not left out were his roles as  Commander Sector 3 OP LAFIYA DOLE;  Comd Sect 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Tchad Region;  Chief of General Duties TRADOC; Director Campaign Planning AHQ DATOPs; Director Training AHQ-DATOPs; Senior Research Fellow, Nigerian Army Research Centre; Theatre Comd JTF (NE) Op HADIN KAI; and Commander Infantry Corps, which is his current position.

He has in his kitty the Forces Service Star, Meritorious Service Star, and Distinguished Service Star, as well as the General Operation Medal, Command Medal (CO 73 Bn), Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award, Silver Jubilee Medal,  Meritorious Service, Centenary Medal, Training Support Medal, OP LAST HOLD Medal, OP LAFIYA DOLE Medal, MNJTF Medal, Grand Service Star (GSS),  Field Commander Medal of Honour (FCMH), and Operation HADIN KAI Medal (OPHK), amongst several others.

General Gwabin Musa is married to Mrs Lilian Oghogho Musa and blessed with four children.

Major General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja as Chief of Army Staff

On April 3, 2023, Major General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja was redeployed as the  General Officer Commanding (GOC), of 1 Division, Kaduna, to the Army Headquarters as Chief of Operations DAOP.

Known in all quarters as a fearless and courageous military commander, Major General Lagbaja recorded many successes with his troops at 1 Division.

He was mostly famed for how he decimated the bandits, cattle rustlers, and terrorists that operated mostly in  Kaduna, Niger, Kebbi, and other North West States.

A qualified Special Forces Officer (Airborne and Amphibious), Major General Lagbaja was born in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area, Osun State on February 28, 1968.

He was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy on September 12, 1987 as a member of 39th Regular Course and was Commissioned as Second Lieutenant on September 19, 1992 into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps.

He has in his kitty the Forces Service Star, Meritorious Service Star, Distinguished Service Star, Passed Staff Course (+), Fellows United States Army War College, Command Medal, Field Command Medal, Field Command Medal of Honour, General Operations Medal, Operation Harmony Medal, United Nations Peacekeeping Operation Medal and Operation LAFIYA DOLE Medal.

With a Bsc Geography  from the Nigerian Defence Academy (2001) and Msc in Strategic Studies, US Army War College (2014), Major General Lagbaja has participated in Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi Peninsula, United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), Operation ZAKI, Internal Security Operation in Benue State, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Operation MESA/Operation UDO KA- Internal Security Operation in South East Zone Nigeria (Anambra/Abia/Ebonyi/Enugu and Imo States), and Operation FOREST SANITY- Internal Security Operation in Kaduna/Niger States.

He is married to Mrs Mariya Abiodun-Lagbaja and the marriage is blessed with two children. His hobbies are watching documentary and reading biographies.

Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla: Cerebral Hydrographer as Chief of Naval Staff

For the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla is the Director Lessons Learnt (DLL), Naval Headquarters, Abuja.

Born on December 20, 1968, Rear Admiral Ogalla, who hails from Enugu Ezike, Igbo Eze North LGA Enugu State, obtained the WASC from the NMS Zaria in Jun 1987 where he graduated as the best boy in Sciences as he had A1 in all subjects except English language.

He is a member of the 39 RC NDA, graduated with a BSc in Maths and was awarded sword of honour as the best naval cadet in his course.

He was commissioned Sub Lieutenant on September 16, 1992 and rose to the rank of R Adm on September 16, 2021. He completed the STC NNS QUORRA, Basic Hydrography National Hydrographic School India in May 2000, Junior and Senior Staff Courses AFCSC Jaji in Nov 01 and Jul 06 respectively.

He was a participant of NDC Course 22 and was awarded fdc in Aug 14. As part of the Course, he took part in the MSc Strategic Studies programme, University of Ibadan from 2014 to 2015.

The senior officer served on board many ships including NNS AMBE, ARADU, LANA, EKUN, AGU, QUORRA, BEECROFT, DELTA and PATHFINDER. While on board NNS EKUN he took part in the ECOMOG Operations in Liberia in 1996.

Also as the Base operations officer in NNS PATHFINDER, he was responsible for coordinating anti illegal bunkering operations as well the entire policing duties of the base. During the period there was a remarkable reduction in illegal activities in the maritime area within the base area of operations.

 The senior officer also served as Instructor, CI and Comdt NNHS, SO 1 Survey and DD Instruments NNHO, ADCP, DD Hydro and DPR NHQ, as well as DS/ DARAS NDC and D Audit NASS NHQ. He is currently the DLL NHQ.  During his cumulative six-year tour of duty in NNHS, he taught geodesy, datum conversion, tidal predictions and analysis, satellite surveying, bathymetry, among others.

As Commandant, he linked the School with Teledyn Marines, a reputable OEM in the US, which enabled the NN to procure several survey equipment from the company, leading to improvements in practical training. He was also instrumental to the review of the School’s curriculum to align with IHO requirements.

During his tour of duty in the NNHO, the senior officer was instrumental to the localisation of tidal prediction and analysis. He participated in the FAO sponsored Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem survey in 2004 and provided professional inputs during the survey and production of the NNHO charts. During his tour of duty at the NDC, he contributed towards the improvement of the College research package and also led the 2018 participants research study tour to China and South Korea.

As DLL he was responsible for collating and analysing previous NN Operations and activities with the objective of drawing lessons necessary for doctrinal and operational improvements.

The Senior officer is decorated with FSS, MSS, DSS and GSS. He is a member of the Nigerian Hydrographic Society, Nigerian Institute of Management, the International Earth Rotation Services and also a fellow of the Occupational Safety and Health Association of the UK.

He is married to Mrs Ijeoma Ogalla and the marriage is blessed with two children. His hubbies include jugging, reading, listening and researching about science and nature.

Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Hassan Bala Abubakar: Astute Manager as Chief of Air Staff (CAS)

Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Hassan Bala Abubakar was the 46th Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Logistics Command in 2022 before he handed over to Vice Marshal Shobande.

He was deployed to the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters as the Chief of Standards and Evaluation, an appointment where he placed high premium on Research and Development.

In a recent interview with THISDAY in April, the AVM had opined that the NAF might commercialise some of its projects in the future.

With his appointment, it is hoped that his plan to gradually stop dependence on foreign vendors for materials as well as to save foreign exchange for the country will pay off, especially with the serious R&D to embarked upon by NAF.

Stressing that a lot of projects and technology that had been developed through R&D in the air force had been patented by the National Office For Technology Acquisition and Promotion, he noted that “Some of the technologies are strictly for military use in which case we may not be in a hurry to patent and produce at the industrial level for commercial use.

“However, those projects that are applicable to general aviation will be commercialised in the near future so, the future is bright and the potential unlimited for the NAF”.

Born on September 11, 1970, AVM Abubakar hails from Shanono Local Government Area in Kano State. He enlisted into the NAF as a member of NDA RC 39 and commissioned Pilot Officer on September 19, 1992.

Some of his recent appointments include Fleet operation officer – 011Presidential Air Fleet; Commander 011 Presidential Air Fleet; Chief of Staff, Mobility Command, Director of Policy, HQ NAF and lastly Director of Operations, HQ NAF; Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command.

The senior officer has earned several awards and decorations including the

Distinguished Service Star, Passed Staff Course (psc), and Fellow Defence College, among several others.

He has Masters in International Affairs and is a Member, National Institute of Management; Chartered Institute of Public Management; and Nigerian Institute of Safety Professionals.

DIG Kayode Egbetokun as  Acting Inspector-General of Police

The recently promoted Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG Olukayode Egbetokun Adeolu, mni, is the supervising DIG for the South-West Geo-Political Zone.

Currently heading the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) Force Headquarters, Abuja, DIG Egbetokun who hails from Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, holds a BSc. (Hons.) Degree in Mathematics Education, an MSc. in Engineering Analysis, and a Master’s of Business Administration degree.

DIG Egbetokun has attended various courses both home and abroad, and has served in various investigative, operational, and administrative capacities including as Commander Rapid Response Squad (RSS) Lagos; Head Anti-Fraud, FCT Command; CP Kwara State amongst others.

He was until his recent promotion to DIG, he was in charge of Zone 7 Abuja comprising the FCT and Niger State.

Adeniyi Bashir Adewale as acting Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs

Adeniyi Bashir Adewale, a Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, is set to take over from Col. Hameed Ali as Comptroller General of Customs. Adeniyi, who joined the Nigeria Customs Service about 30 years ago, holds a Bachelor of Science in International Relations from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in June 1987 and Master of Arts in Communication Science in November 2013 from the Universitaire Svizzera D’Italiana (USI) – Lugano, Switzerland. He was Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College Gwagwalada, Abuja and was the longest serving National Public Relations Officer of Customs from June 2003 to May 2011.

On January 2020, he won the Comptroller-General of Customs Award for seizure of $8,065,612 million cash at Murtala Mohammed International Airport and is currently Vice President of the Governing Council of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (FNIPR). On October 2022, he was conferred with the National Honour of Member of the Order of Federal Republic (MFR) by former President Muhammadu Buhari. He is heading the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja as Commandant.