Air Force gets 31 AVMs, elevates 25 Group Captains

The Air Force Council (AFC) has approved the promotion of 57 senior officers comprising 31 Air Commodores and 25 Group Captains to the next higher ranks in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Those promoted to the rank of AVM include: Esen Efanga, Michael Ekwueme, John Laoye, Bgmibgmitawuza Solomon, Hassan Alhaji, Idi Sani, Patrick Obeya, Ahmed Dari, Gabriel Kehinde, Ebimbowei Yinkere, Anthony Ekpe, Patrick Phillips, Bukkan Sani and Ndubuisi Okoro.

Others are: Simon Peter, Olasunkanmi Abidoye, Lawal Danzangi, Abdullahi Bello, Boniface Ifeobu, Anthony Martins, Dominic Danat, Samuel Chinda, Mohammed Yusuf, Mohammed Aliyu, Alfred Shogbanmu and Paul Irumheson.

The AFC also approved the terminal promotion of six senior officers comprising five Air Commodores to the rank of Air Vice Marshals and a Group Captain promoted to the rank of Air Commodore.

The five Air Commodores terminally promoted include: Dauda Prayero, Christopher Egwoba, Sunny Ohemu, Akugbe Iyamu and Joseph Malgwi, while Group Capt. Aderemi Alli-Balogun, was terminally promoted to the rank of Air Commodore.

Others promoted from the rank of Group Captain to the rank of Air Commodores are: Nasiru Saidu, Idowu Adewunmi, Abdul-karimu Audu, Abdullahi Dogo, David Bello, Magnus Abanum, Friday Bassey, Babatunde Oguntunde, Chukwuma Ohanele, Loveday Wariboko, Okechukwu Okpara, Daniel Njoku and David Babalola.

Others are: Umar Idris, Semiu Bakare, Usman Umar, Gabriel Oyekale, Sunday Bello, Mathew Bulus, Jilantikiri Ijudigal, Isaac Adelakun, Musa Aileru, Haliru Badamasi, Apeh Joseph and Yelwa Mohammed.

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, on behalf of the entire NAF family, congratulated them.

The CAS urged them to see their elevation as an added responsibility that called for strategic level, critical thinking and analysis in proffering lasting solutions towards curbing the current security challenges in the country.

For those on terminal promotion, Amao wished them well in their future endeavours.

He also urged them to justify their terminal elevation by being exemplary ambassadors of NAF who were ready, willing and ever ready to contribute their quota to the advancement of the service.

While the terminally promoted officers were decorated earlier by the CAS at NAF Headquarters, others would be decorated with their new ranks at a later date to be announced soon.