By Elohor Igbru ( Defence Correspondent)
Former Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Leo Irabor has been appointed as the 40th Commander of the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Minna in what the Nigeria Army (NA) calls a “routine/normal exercise intended to reinvigorate the system for greater professional effectiveness and efficiency.”
Major General Irabor will be leaving the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Abuja, where he headed the Department of Training and Operations. As Theater Commander in the Northeast, Irabor endeared himself to Nigerians with his determination to finally rid the country of the Boko Haram menace. He was noted for his regular briefings on the activities of the military on the front lines and his example of leading from the front.
TRADOC Nigeria Army (NA) has been known as the alternate Army Headquarters and “offers advices, ideas and probable solutions to training and operational challenges of the NA. When numerous divisions are committed concurrently in the field, TRADOC NA automatically acts as a Corps Headquarters to coordinate, direct and control operational exigencies of the divisions,” says the NA website.
However, others have also seen postings to TRADOC NA as the traditional retirement homes for Generals who have been deemed ready for retirement with the exception of current Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Gabriel Olonisakin, who was the 34th TRADOC Commander and was promoted to the highest military office in Nigeria.
In a press release issued by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa, other highlights of the posting include: Major General FO Agugo from 6 Division NA Port Harcourt to Headquarters NA Signal Corps Apapa Lagos as Corps Commander Signals, Major General M Mohammed from Headquarters NA Signal Corps Apapa Lagos to Office of the COAS and appointed Special Adviser NA University Biu, Major General AM Dikko from Administrative Staff College of Nigeria Badagry Lagos to NA Training Centre Kontagora and appointed Commander, Major General US Yakubu from NA Corps of Artillery Kontagora to Army Headquarters Abuja (AHQ) and appointed Chief of Administration (Army), Major General BO Sawyer from AHQ Department of Policy and Plans to NA Armour School Bauchi and appointed Commandant, Major General IO Uzamere from NA College of Logistics Lagos now redeployed to AHQ Abuja Department of Logistics and appointed Chief of Logistics (Army).
Also, Major General JO Irefin from Headquarters 81 Division Lagos to Headquarters 6 Division Port Harcourt and appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC), while Major General JO Akomolafe is now redeployed from Headquarters NA Armour Corps Bauchi to DHQ Abuja as Chief of Defence Standards and Evaluation.
Others are – Major General CO Ude from NA Resource Centre Abuja to Defence Headquarters and appointed Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Major General HR Momoh from Defence Space Administration Abuja to AHQ Department of Policy and Plans and appointed Deputy Chief of Policy and Plans/ Director Special Duties, Major General AT Hamman from DHQ to AHQ Garrison and appointed Commander, Major General OA Akinyemi from Administrative Staff College of Nigeria to Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre Oshodi Lagos as Deputy Commandant, while Major General MH Magaji has been redeployed from NA Amour School to Headquarters NA Armour Corps and appointed Commander, Major General MA Masanawa from Defence Headquarters to NA Ordinance School Lagos as Commandant, Major General JI Unuigbe from AHQ Department of Logistics to DHQ and appointed Chief of Defence Logistics, Major General JGK Myam the erstwhile Commander AHQ Garrison Abuja is now the Commander NA Corps of Artillery. Major General GA Umelo has been redeployed from AHQ Department of Training and Operations to Headquarters 81 Division and appointed General Officer Commanding, Major General SE Udounwa from AHQ Department of Policy and Plans to Army War College Abuja as Commandant, Major General MO Enendu from Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre to NA College of Logistics and appointed Commandant, Major General GS Abdullahi from DHQ to Land Forces Simulation Centre Nigeria and appointed Director General,
Major General BN Salami from NA School of Supply and Transport is now redeployed to Headquarters NA Corps of Supply and Transport as Commander.
Others affected include – Major General FO Omoigui from AHQ Department of Training and Operations to Headquarters Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE Maiduguri and appointed Deputy Theater Commander, Major General IO Ehiorobo from NA School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering to Headquarters NA Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and appointed Commander, Major General KI Mukhtar from AHQ Department of Army Administration is now the Commandant Depot NA Zaria.
While the erstwhile Commandant Army War College Nigeria Major General C Ofoche has been redeployed to AHQ Department of Policy and Plans as Director Plans, Major General AB Ibrahim from AHQ Department of Training and Operations to Defence Space Administration is now Director Support Services, while Brigadier General IO Adewa is to remain in NA Properties Limited and appointed Acting General Managing Director.
Similarly, Brigadier General KA Kazir has been posted from Headquarters NA Engineers to Headquarters 43 Engineers Brigade as Commander, Brigadier General MU Abdullahi From NA Intelligence and Cyber Warfare School to 58 Signal Brigade and appointed Commander, Brigadier General MB Dala from NA Resource Centre to Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command Minna and appointed Director Exams.
Likewise, Brigadier General BR Sinjen has been redeployed from Headquarters NA Corps of Artillery to AHQ Department of Training and Operations as Acting Director of Operations, Brigadier General SI Igbinomwanhia from 7 Division Garrison Maiduguri to AHQ Department of Training and Operations and appointed Acting Director Campaign Plan, Brigadier General HG Tafida from AHQ Department of Logistics to NA School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and appointed Acting Commandant, Brigadier General AO Arogbofa from 102 Division Equipment Support to AHQ Department of Logistics as Acting Director Equipment Maintenance, Brigadier General EC Lot from Land Forces Simulation Centre Nigeria to Headquarters 52 Signal Brigade as Commander.
Others officer affected by the redeployment include: Colonel B Sarki from Defence Intelligence College to 6 Military Intelligence Brigade and appointed Acting Commander, Colonel KO Ogunsoya from DHQ to Headquarters Directorate of Army Public Relations and appointed Chief of Staff, Colonel TO Antigha from Headquarters Multinational Joint Task Force Ndjamena to Defence Headquarters and appointed Acting Executive Director Armed Forces Radio, Colonel MM Dole from Headquarters Directorate of Army Public Relations to Headquarters Multinational Joint Task Force Ndjamena and appointed Military Public Information Officer, Colonel AF Maimagani is to remain in Headquarters Directorate of Chaplain Services (Roman Catholic) as Acting Director Chaplain (Roman Catholic).
