PRESIDENT JONATHAN APPOINTS NEW SERVICE CHIEFS

President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked Nigeria’s service chiefs and appointed new ones. This was announced today by Presidential Spokesperson, Reuben Abati, on his twitter handle. 

Dr Abati tweeted: “President Jonathan has appointed new Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs. Air Marshal Alex Badeh now CDS. Mr. Abati said the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, has been appointed the Chief of Defence Staff. He replaces Admiral Ola Ibrahim. As at the time of this report, the names of the new heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force were not available. There had been speculation that the Service Chiefs would be replaced following their perceived inability to curtail the activities of Islamic fundamentalists.

 

 FULL TEXT

President Goodluck Jonathan has in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria approved the following changes in the nation’s Military High Command:

Air Marshal Alex Badeh takes over from Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim as Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah takes over from Lt.-General Azubike O. Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff;

Rear Admiral Usman O. Jibrin takes over from Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba as Chief of Naval Staff; and Air Vice Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu takes over from Air Marshal Badeh as Chief of Air Staff.

All the changes are with immediate effect.

The new Chief of Defence Staff and former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Badeh was born on January 10, 1957 and joined the Air Force as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s  21 Regular Course while the new Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Minimah was born on July 27, 1959 and joined the Army as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s  25 Regular Course. Until his new appointment, Major-General Minimah was the Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps, Jaji.

President Jonathan has briefed the leadership of the National Assembly on the appointment of the new service chiefs and will, in keeping with the provisions of the law, request the National Assembly to formally confirm the appointments when it reconvenes.