The Nigerian Army has promoted 108 senior officers to the ranks of Brigadier General and Major General.
Their promotion has been approved by the Army Council.
This was contained in a press statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Friday by the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu.
The statement said the elevated officers were charged by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede to think creatively in tackling modern security challenges.
They were also tasked to lead their subordinates by example and to adopt innovative, “out-of-the-box” strategies to security challenges facing the nation.
General Oluyede while congratulating the newly promoted senior officers, charged them to redouble their efforts to justify their elevation and the confidence reposed in them.
The breakdown of the promotion according to the statement showed that 35 Brigadier Generals have been promoted to the rank of Major General, while 73 Colonels have also been elevated to the rank of Brigadier General accordingly.
Those promoted to the rank of Major General according to General Nwachukwu’s statement include Brigadier General A. Garba, Acting Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army; Brigadier General U.M. Alkali, Deputy Chief of Administration, Directorate of Veteran Affairs (Army); Brigadier General A.G.L. Haruna, Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander Sector 1 North East Operation HADIN KAI; and Brigadier General I.A. Ajose, Acting General Officer Commanding 8 Division and Commander Sector 2 North West Operation FANSAN YAMA.
Others include Brigadier General N.B. Ebulue, Headquarters Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre; Brigadier General L.G. Lepdung, Commander Operation WHIRL STROKE; Brigadier General O.A. Awolo, Director of Military Training at the Nigerian Defence Academy; Brigadier General U.G. Ogeleka, Commander Nigerian Army Space Command; Brigadier General O.A. Fadairo, Commander 12 Brigade; Brigadier General O.D. Williams, Commander 22 Brigade; Brigadier General J.R. Lar, Commander 32 Brigade; Brigadier General A.G. Mahmuda, Commandant Warrant Officer Academy; and Brigadier General V.D. Beryo, Commander Nigerian Army Special Forces School.
Also promoted to Major General were: Brigadier General A.O.D. Okoro, Director, Army Headquarters Department of Special Services and Programmes; Brigadier General S.O. Adejimi, Director, Movement Army Headquarters Department of Army Logistics; Brigadier General T.T. Sidick, Director of Finance at the Nigerian Defence Academy; Brigadier General M.C.E. Ejike, Commander Sector 2 Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI; Brigadier General M.F. Babayo, Commander Sector 3 North East Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI; Brigadier General H. Yanet, Commander 51 Signal Brigade; and Brigadier General M.K. Gara, Army Headquarters Department of Training.
The statement equally listed officers promoted to include: Brigadier General B.P. Koughna, Deputy Chief of Military Affairs, Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs; Brigadier General I. Otu, Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre; Brigadier General A.O. Adegbite, Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport; Brigadier General I.E. Ekpeyong, Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers; and Brigadier General A.A. Idris, Army Headquarters Department of Army Standards and Evaluation.
Also promoted were Brigadier General S.A. Gumel, Nigerian Army Resource Centre Strategic Management and Policy Studies; Brigadier General M.T. Jinadu, Commander 82 Division Ordnance Services; Brigadier General S.A. Jimoh, Deputy Director Tender Board Department of Procurement; and Brigadier General U.T. Opuene, Deputy Director Policy and Plans Defence Intelligence Agency, among others.
According to Nwachukwu the officers promoted from Colonel to Brigadier General are: Colonel S.M. Iliya, Commander 43 Engineers Brigade; Colonel O. Igwe, Commander 78 Supply and Transport; Colonel N.E. Udofia, Headquarters Nigerian Army Electrical Mechanical Engineers; Colonel U.R. Okoroji, Commander 404 Engineers Brigade; Colonel G.S. Oyinwola, Army Headquarters Department of Military Secretary; and Colonel S. Ahmadu, Defence Intelligence Agency.
Other Colonels promoted include: Colonel C.I. Nwonyi, Commander 81 Division Provost Group; Colonel A.S. Aliyu, Commander 1 Division Military Intelligence; Colonel T. Garba, Commander 77 Supply and Transport Brigade; Colonel K. Imam, Commander Army Headquarters Garrison Ordnance Services; Colonel N.S. Onuchukwu, Chief Medical Director 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital; Colonel A. Musa, Commander 108 Division Equipment Support; Colonel D.M. Baba, Office of the National Security Adviser; Colonel O.A. Obochi, Defence Headquarters; Colonel P.A.J. Ebuk, Commander 1 Division Supply and Transport; and Colonel I.P. Omoke, Office of the COAS Directorate of Procurement.
Also elevated to Brigadier General include Colonel N.I. Abdullahi, Armed Forces Command and Staff College; Colonel J.C. Mbanefo, Army War College Nigeria; Colonel I.O. Amah, Department of Operations Defence Headquarters; Colonel M. Jimoh, Defence Headquarters Garrison; Colonel T.A. Ayoola, Army Headquarters Department of Army Operations; Colonel S.A. Jimoh, Office of the Chief of Army Staff Department of Procurement; Colonel O.C. Ameni, 103 Division Equipment Support; Colonel O.U. Okwuosa, 2 Division Medical Hospital and Services; Colonel A.O. Odubiyi, Armed Forces Command and Staff College; and Colonel N.E. Udofia, Headquarters Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, among other senior officers promoted to other senior ranks.
The statement reminded of their oath of allegiance to defend the nation at all times and maintain unwavering loyalty to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
