Posted by From LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja on
Barely two days after he abolished the office of the chief of staff to the president and sent all the political office holders attached to that office packing, President Umaru Yar'Adua on Wednesday approved changes in the command structure of the Armed Forces, with the immediate retirement of the military service chiefs.
Barely two days after he abolished the office of the chief of staff to the president and sent all the political office holders attached to that office packing, President Umaru Yar'Adua on Wednesday approved changes in the command structure of the Armed Forces, with the immediate retirement of the military service chiefs.
Those affected are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Andrew Azazi, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Luka Yusuf and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye.
In the latest shake up, announced in Abuja by presidential spokesman, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, former Chief of Air Staff was named the Chief of Defence Staff, succeeding General Andrew Azazi.
Major-General Abdulrahman Dambazau, who until Wednesday was the General Officer Commanding the 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan takes over from Luka as the new Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Isaiah Iko Ibrahim, who was the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Training Command, Lagos was appointed Chief of Naval Staff in place of Vice Admiral G.T.A. Adekeye, while Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, the Air Officer Commanding the Nigerian Air Force Training Command, Kaduna was named the new Chief of Air Staff.
Adeniyi told the State House correspondents that President Yar'Adua who left Abuja on Wednesday to perform the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia and the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed met with the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff and service chiefs to thank them for their services to the country.
Meanwhile, following the development, the Defence Retreat scheduled to begin in Kaduna today (August 21) has been postponed until further notice.
The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed who made this known regretted any inconveniences the postponement might cause all those invited particularly former heads of state and royal fathers.