Lagbaja reshuffles Army, appoints more GOCs, Commanders

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has approved appointment and redeployment of more General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Commanders and other officers to enhance administrative and operational efficiency of the Nigerian Army.

This is contained in a statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on Friday in Abuja.

Those affected include Maj.-Gen. VU Okoro from Department of Army Operations to 2 Division as GOC; Maj.-Gen. HT Dada from Defence Intelligence Agency, to 82 Division as GOC and Maj.-Gen. Muhammed Usman redeployed from 2 Division to 82 Division.

Also redeployed are, Maj.-Gen. KA Isoni as Commander Army Headquarters Garrison; and Maj.-Gen. AE Abubakar from 7 Division/Sector 1 OPHK, to 3 Division as GOC and Commander Operation SAFE HAVEN.

According to Nwachukwu, the new Corps Commanders are Maj.-Gen. GO Adesina, Commander Signals Corps; Maj.-Gen. OO Oluyede, Commander, Infantry Corps; and Maj.-Gen. HG Tafida, Commander Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps.

“Maj.-Gen. EL Ugwuoke is appointed Corps Commander, Ordinance Corps and Brig.-Gen. SI Musa, Acting Director Legal Services, while Brig.-Gen. ND Shagaya is now the Commandant Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport.

“Among the newly redeployed Defence and Army Headquarters Principal Staff Officers are Maj.-Gen. Emeka Onumajuru from Department of Special Services and Programmes (Army) to Defence Headquarters and appointed Chief of Defence Operations.”

Also appointed are Maj.-Gen. ES Buba who moved from Defence Intelligence Agency to DHQ as Director Defence Media Operations; Maj.-Gen. OR Aiyenigba, Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation; and Maj.-Gen. Jimmy Akpor, Chief of Administration (Army).

“Others are Maj.-Gen. HT Wesley from TRADOC to Army Headquarters as Chief of Special Services and Programmes, Maj.-Gen. Y Yahaya, appointed Chief of Personnel Management.

“Maj.-Gen. IM Jallo moves from Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans to Office of the COAS as Director Inspection and Compliance,” he said.

Nwachukwu added that Maj.-Gen. EA Anaryu moves from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre as Deputy Commandant, and Brig.-Gen. NJ Edet from Headquarters 9 Brigade to Headquarters 14 Brigade as the new commander.

He added that Brig.-Gen. JIB Manjang was redeployed from Army War College Nigeria to the Nigerian Army College of Logistic and Management as Deputy Commandant, among several others.

According to him, redeployment in the Nigerian army is a routine exercise, particularly with the recent retirement of some senior officers as a result of the appointment of the new army leadership.

The redeployments take effect from July 3.