Nigerian Air Force announces major shake-up

The Nigerian Air Force has announced major redeployment of its senior officers across different theatres of operations, branches and headquarters.

It also appointed new air officers commanding commandants of tri-service and unit commanders.

This is coming after retirement of some senior officers and the decoration of the newly promoted officers among air troops.

A statement by the NAF spokesman, Edward Gabkwet, on Tuesday said the postings and redeployments in the military were a routine exercise intended to reinvigorate the services for greater performance, enhanced productivity, operational efficiency, and effective service delivery.

According to the statement, Air Commodore Esen Efanga is now the Commander, Air Task Force Operation HADIN KAI, while Group Captain Dogari Apyeyak is now the Air Component Commander, Operation Thunder Strike.

A former Director of Public Relations and Information of the Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Ibikunle Daramola, is now the Air Officer Commanding, GTC, Enugu.

Gabkwet noted that the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, charged the newly redeployed senior officers to continually explore their critical thinking mindsets towards proffering workable solutions and strategies to be deployed against the various security challenges in the Country.

The statement added, ”It is in view of the foregoing that the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, has approved the appointment of new Branch Chiefs, Air Officers Commanding (AOCs), Commandants of tri-Service and NAF institutions as well as Unit Commanders.”

Other newly appointed Branch Chiefs are Air Vice Marshal Ayoola Jolasinmi, erstwhile Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Air Training Command (ATC), Kaduna who is now the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans (CDPP) at Defence Headquarters; former Chief of Aircraft Engineering at Headquarters; AVM Musa Muktar moves to DHQ as Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation, (CDTI), former AOC Logistics Command (LC), Ikeja, AVM Charles Ohwo is now the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP), HQ NAF, Abuja, AVM Jackson Yusuf, former AOC Special Operations Command (SOC), Bauchi is now appointed Chief of Training and Operations (CTOP), HQ NAF, while AVM Abubakar Liman heads the Air Intelligence Branch as the Chief of Air Intelligence, HQ NAF.

Also appointed are AVM Emmanuel Wonah, former Managing Director NAF Investments Limited (NAFIL) as Chief of Aircraft Engineering (CAcE), HQ NAF, AVM Raimi Salami is now redeployed as the Chief of Communications Information Systems (CCIS) HQ NAF, while AVM Olatokunbo Adesanya has been appointed as Chief of Logistics (CLOG), HQ NAF.

Furthermore, AVM Aliyu Bello, erstwhile AOC Mobility Command (MC), Yenagoa is now the Chief of Standards and Evaluation (COSE), HQ NAF, AVM Nelson Calmday is to take over as the Chief of Administration (COA), HQ NAF and AVM Paul Jemitola is now the Air Secretary, HQ NAF among others.