COAS Appoints Senior Officers to Strategic Command, Staff Positions

COAS Appoints Senior Officers to Strategic Command, Staff Positions

By Johnson Arua

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the posting and appointment of senior officers to key command, staff, and instructional positions across formations, units, and training institutions of the Nigerian Army.

According to the statement, by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, the redeployments are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen leadership, enhance command structures, and improve operational effectiveness across the service.

Among the newly appointed senior officers is Major General Bamidele Alabi, who has been moved to the Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans as Chief of Policy and Plans (Army). Major General Jamal Abdulsalam, formerly Chief of Special Services and Programmes, has been posted to the Defence Headquarters Department of Operations as Chief of Defence Operations, while Major General Peter Mala moves from the Office of the National Security Adviser to command Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Nigerian Army.

In a similar development, Major General Samson Jiya has been deployed from the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre (NAHFC) to the Defence Headquarters Department of Defence Accounts and Budget as Chief of Defence Accounts and Budget.

Other strategic postings include Major General Mayirenso Saraso to Army Headquarters Department of Operations as Chief of Operations (Army); Major General Isa Abdullahi to Army Headquarters Department of Administration as Chief of Administration (Army); and Major General Musa Etsu-Ndagi as Chief of Civil-Military Affairs.

Major General Abubakar Haruna has been appointed Commander, Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC) Kontagora, while Major General Philip Ilodibia proceeds to the Defence Space Administration as Chief of Defence Space Administration.

Also appointed are Major General Godwin Mutkut as Corps Commander Infantry; Major General Umar Abubakar as Commander, Nigerian Army Armour Corps; Major General John Adeyemo as Corps Commander Artillery; and Major General Mohammed Abdullahi as Corps Commander Signals.

Major General Taofik Sidick becomes Chief of Accounts and Budget (Army); Major General Abdullahi Ibrahim takes over as Corps Commander Ordnance; Major General Adeyinka Adereti is now Corps Commander Electrical and Mechanical Engineers; and Major General Nansak Shagaya assumes duty as Corps Commander Supply and Transport. Brigadier General Yusha’u Ahmed has been appointed Acting Corps Commander Education.

At training institutions, Major General Oluyemi Olatoye has been appointed Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna. Other appointments include Major General Emmanuel Mustapha to Nigerian Army Signal School; Major General Adamu Hassan to Nigerian Army School of Artillery; and Brigadier General John Bulus to Nigerian Army School of Finance and Accounts—all as Commandants.

Field commanders appointed include Major General Saidu Audu, who will assume command of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), N’Djamena; Major General Warrah Idris, who takes charge of Joint Task Force North West (Operation FANSAN YAMMA); and Major General Oluremi Fadairo, who becomes General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Nigerian Army, and Commander Joint Task Force South East (Operation UDO KA).

The COAS also appointed Major General Olatokumbo Bello as Director, Defence Media Operations, while Brigadier General Samaila Uba was redeployed to Defence Headquarters as Director, Defence Information.

Lieutenant General Shaibu urged the newly posted officers to apply their operational experience, administrative competence, and strategic insight toward maintaining a combat-ready force capable of addressing contemporary and emerging security threats. He further charged them to sustain operational momentum, deepen inter-agency cooperation, and uphold the Army’s core values of loyalty, selfless service, integrity, and excellence.