Cynthia Ezegwu
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has approved the appointment and redeployment of 65 Rear Admirals to various commands, institutions, and departments within the Nigerian Navy and the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The announcement was made in a statement on Monday by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore A. Adams-Aliu, who said the postings affect officers serving at the Naval Headquarters, Defence Headquarters, Tri-Service institutions, naval commands, and subsidiaries of the service.
The redeployments come shortly after Abbas assumed office as the 23rd indigenous Chief of the Naval Staff last Thursday. The Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force had earlier announced similar large-scale redeployments of senior officers last week.
According to the statement, Rear Admiral Suleiman Abdullahi has been moved from the Defence Headquarters to Naval Headquarters as Chief of Logistics, while Rear Admiral Kasim Bushi moves from the Naval Training Command to the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria as Executive Director.
Rear Admiral Suleiman Dahun was appointed Director of Defence Cooperation at the Defence Headquarters, and Rear Admiral Anenechukwu Ezenma is now the Director of Lessons Learnt at the same headquarters. Rear Admiral Samuel Ngatuwa becomes Director of Project Management, while Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shehu retains his position as Admiral Superintendent of the Naval Dockyard Limited.
Others affected include Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, who has been appointed Commandant of the National Defence College; Rear Admiral Musa Katagum, now Chief of Operations at Naval Headquarters; Rear Admiral Fredrick Damtong, Chief of Naval Engineering; Rear Admiral Abdul-Rasheed Haruna, Chief of Training; and Rear Admiral Hamza Ibrahim, who assumes duties as Group Managing Director of Navy Holdings Limited.
Also redeployed are Rear Admiral Sunday Oyegade, now Director of Logistics at the Defence Intelligence Agency; Rear Admiral Gideon Kachim, appointed Chief of Defence Administration; Rear Admiral Saburi Lawal, reappointed Executive Director, Business Development and Evaluation at Navy Holdings Limited; and Rear Admiral Jonathan Mamman, who becomes Chief of Administration at Naval Headquarters.
Other key postings include Rear Admiral Kehinde Odubanjo, now Director General of the Defence Research and Development Bureau; Rear Admiral John Okeke, Chief of Defence Civil-Military Cooperation; and Rear Admiral Abolade Ogunleye, Chief of Defence Training at Defence Headquarters.
READ ALSO: Navy Will Deploy Drones Against Maritime Crime – Naval Chief Abbas
Rear Admiral Peter Zakaria was appointed Executive Director of Administration and Human Resources, Navy Holdings Limited, while Rear Admiral Olufemi Adeleke becomes Director of Cyber Security at the Defence Space Agency.
Rear Admiral Abiodun Alade has been appointed Flag Officer Commanding Logistics Command, Rear Admiral Pakiribo Anabraba becomes Chief of Naval Safety and Standard, and Rear Admiral Emmanuel Anakwe proceeds to the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies as Moderator. Rear Admiral Abdul-Hamid Baba-Inna was named Navy Secretary.
For the operational commands, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha is now Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Chidozie Okehie takes charge of the Eastern Naval Command, and Rear Admiral Suleiman Ibrahim assumes office as Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command.
Other appointments include Rear Admiral Musiu Yussuff as Director of Marine Engineering, Rear Admiral Kolawole Oguntuga as Director of Manning at Naval Headquarters, and Rear Admiral Mohammed Muye as Commandant of the Naval War College.
Commodore Adams-Aliu said all the postings take immediate effect.