By Sumaila Ogbaje

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja as Chief of Army Staff.

Tinubu also appointed Rear Adm. E.A Ogalla as Chief of Naval Staff and Air Vice Marshal Hassan Abubakar, as Chief of the Air Staff, while Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye was appointed Chief of Defence Intelligence among others.

The new CDS, Gen. Musa, born on Dec. 25, 1967 in Sokoto, hails from Zangon Kataf in Kaduna State.

He is a member of the 38th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy and was commissioned on Sept. 21, 1991 into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps.

Musa holds a Masters Degree in Defence Studies, from the National Defence University Changing in Beijing China.

He has held several command appointments in the cause of his military career, and was at the thick of the fight against Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists for over a decade.

He was Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai in the North East, before his deployment as Commander Infantry Corps, from where he was appointed as CDS.

The new COAS, Lagbaja hails from Ilobu in Oṣun and is a member of the 39 regular course of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

He holds a Bachelor degree in Geography from NDA Kaduna, and Masters Degree from U.S. Army War College.

Until his elevation as COAS, Lagbaja was the Chief of Operation (Army), and had served as General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Kaduna as well as 82 Division, Nigerian Army Enugu.

He had participated and held command positions in several military operations, including Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi Peninsula, United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Operation ZAKI.

He was also part of the Internal Security Operation in Benue; Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Operation MESA/UDO KA, and Internal Security Operation in the South East.

As GOC 1 Division in Kaduna, he personally led troops of Operation FOREST SANITY in confronting  terrorists in Kaduna and Niger States.

The new Chief of Naval Staff hails from Enugu Ezike in Enugu State and is also a member of 39 Regular Course of NDA.

Until his appointment, he was the Director of Lessons Learnt at Naval Heeadquarters Department of Policy and Plans.

Ogalla is a regular combatant and has held several command appointments and attended several courses both home and abroad.

The new CAS, AVM Abubakar was born on Sept. 11 1970 and hails from Shanono Local Government Area in Kano State.

He was enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) as a member of 39 Regular Course of NDA and was commissioned Pilot Officer on Sept.19, 1992.

He was the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command until his new appointment and have attended several course.

Abubakar holds Bachelor of Science Degree from the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna and Basic Flying Training Courses at the 301 Flying Training School Kaduna.

He also attended the National Defence Course at the Nasser Higher Military Academy, Cairo – Egypt, and holds Masters Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

The new Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Undiandeye hails from Bedia in Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State.

He was until his appointment the Commandant of the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji, Kaduna State.

Undiandeye was a member of the Troop Contributing Countries Working Group for the development of second edition of the United Nation Infantry Battalion Manual (UNIBAM) published in 2020 by the UN office of military affairs.

He is of the Intelligence Corps of the Nigerian Army. (NAN) (www.namnews.ng)

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

The announcement by the Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federal (OSGF) siged by the Directoe of Information, Mr Willie Bassey, put to rest the speculations that the president might consider a non-military person for the position.

Ribadu, who was the first Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will become the third retired police officer after late Gambo Jimeta and Ismaila Gwarzo to be appointed to the position.

The new NSA, born on Nov. 21, 1960, was an intelligence police operative who retired as Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG).

He came to national limelight as a star prosecutor at the Oputa Panel which was created to investigate human right abuses during the military era.

He was later appointed Chairman of the Petroleum Special Revenue Task Force before he became the pioneer Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC was tasked by the Federal Government to counter corruption and fraud in the country.

Ribadu’s pragmatic approach to intelligence gathering and crime-fighting while in EFCC earned him global recognition and awards.

His remarkable efforts led to the de-listing of Nigeria from the Financial Action Task Force List of Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories; admission into the prestigious Egmont Group, and the withdrawal of the US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Advisory on Nigeria.

Ribadu was a visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development, a TED Fellow, and a Senior Fellow in St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford, UK.

Ribadu run for President of Nigeria under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011, and had sought to contest for the governorship of Adamawa on two accessions but missed out during party primaries. (NAN) (www.nanners.ng)

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

By Mohammed Tijjani

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Nigerian Army,  Maj-Gen Olufemi Akinjobi, says the army has adopted realistic training that will enhance its operations against insecurity.

The GOC stated this at the 1 Division Operation planning cadre for officers within the 1 Division Area of Responsibility on Monday in Kaduna.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the five days training has brought together participants of the ranks of Captains to Colonels in the 1 Division area of responsibility.

Akinjobi said the workshop was organised to refresh the personnel on the various aspects of operations planning process in order to enhance their skills and improve their capacity in single and joint service operations planning process.

“In line with the Chief of Army Staff vision which is a professional Nigerian Army ready to accomplish assigned Missions within a joint environment in defence of Nigeria,’’ said Akinjobi.

According to him, warfare has become increasingly complexed due to changes in the nature of threats and advancement in technology.

He said further that the armies the world over are continually engaged in training and capacity building to enable them surmount emerging security challenges.

“The NA equally recognises these changes and therefore seeks to develop capacity through realistic training that will enhance its operations,“ he said.

Akinjobi said 1 Division experiences in Birnin Gwari, Falgore, Kagara and other forests, as well as other experiences in other area of operations in the division, had helped in garnering useful lessons and identified gaps in the conduct of their operations.

He said, 1 division operations planning cadre for 2023 was expected to explore ways of building on existing efforts by the Division to meets its operational needs in the areas of warfare and operations planning, military decision making process, intelligence preparation of the battle space and logistics in operational planning amongst others.

He urged the participants to have an open mind in order to derive maximum benefits from the Cadre.

The GOC appreciate the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, for providing the resources for this Cadre and for his exemplary and inspiring leadership, support and motivation to this Division, which has also aided the successes recorded so far in our operations.

NAN reports that the five-day workshop will witness series of lectures. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Hajara Leman/Ekemini Ladejobi

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Commandant National Defence College (NDC), Rear Adm. Murtala Bashir, says the ongoing crisis in Sudan may aggravate the already dire security situation in African continent if not properly and promptly handled.

Bashir said this at a One-Day Roundtable on Sudan Crisis organised by the Center for Strategic Research and Studies of National Defence College on Monday in Abuja.

The theme of the roundtable is “Sudan Crisis: Implications for National and Regional Security”.

The commandant said that Sudan had witnessed a lot of crisis such as the two civil wars between the then central government and the southern regions and the ongoing crisis in the western region of the country.

He said the crisis had so far claimed the lives of about 200,000 people, in addition to the millions of people that had been displaced and taking refuge in neighboring countries.

According to him, there has been massive destruction of infrastructure and facilities in the country as well as the ongoing crisis that has claimed so many lives and further displacement of people in the country.

“We should realise that we are yet to get over the shock and the effects of the crisis in Libya.

“So with this recent developments in Sudan, it is definitely going to aggravate an already dire situation not only in the sub region but continent and probably outside the continent.

“That is why as the apex military institution in the country, we felt it is necessary for us to organise this roundtable by inviting very esteemed resource persons with the requisite knowledge, experience and exposure so that we can come and brainstorm, interact and see how we can propose strategies for Nigeria, African continent and maybe international organisations.

“We want to see how this conflict could be resolved as quickly as possible.

“Already some countries and organisations, countries like Saudi Arabia, United States and some countries in Africa have intervened, but we felt as a think-tank  of the country and for the armed forces of Nigeria, we need to organise this roundtable,” he said.

Bashir said the resource persons would have an an in depth analysis and interrogates the crisis in Sudan and generates practical and enduring strategies that would hopefully help to put an end to the crisis.

He said the college would  continue to see how it could develop strategies that would help to address security issues in the country, the continent and globally.

He promised to ensure that the findings were articulated and forward to the appropriate security authorities for action.

While giving the background to the Sudan crisis, Dr Victor Akran, of the Department of History and War Studies, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), said that Sudan had over the years witnessed series of conflict since colonial era.

Akran said that there was the perspective of the European powers involvement in the exploitation of Sudanese and their resources as far back as 1821 and the Egyptian control.

He said the purpose of their involvement was to procure slaves for slave labour and extract the natural resources of Sudan.

He said that the British conquest of Egypt opened the way for European nations’ penetration into Sudan, adding that the country had continued to face crisis since during and after independence.

According to him, how the current crisis is going to end depends greatly on the involvement of the African leaders.

“Of course, Africa has experienced several of this type of crisis but the closest to Nigeria was in Libya.

“Africa refused to act in time, and the Libyan crisis has become what we know it and today, Nigeria is at the receiving end,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

edited by Sadiya Hamza