By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the strategic redeployment of senior officers to key command, operational and staff appointments across the Nigerian Army as part of ongoing efforts to enhance operational effectiveness, strengthen leadership and align the Service’s command structure with Nigeria’s evolving security environment.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Apollonia Anele, on 9 September 2026.
The exercise, according to the statement, prioritises critical operational theatres and strategic appointments to ensure the right leadership, experience and expertise are positioned to deliver decisive effects.
In the new postings, Major General IA Ajose moves from Army Headquarters, Department of Army Operations, to Theatre Command Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, OPHK, as Theatre Commander. Major General AE Abubakar has been redeployed from OPHK to the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre, NAHFC, as Dean, Faculty of Operational Research.
Major General AM Alechenu moves from Defence Headquarters, DHQ, Garrison to the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre, while Major General RT Utsaha moves from AHQ Department of Army Standards and Evaluation to DHQ Garrison as Commander.
Similarly, Major General AM Umar moves from AHQ Department of Civil-Military Affairs, DCMA, to Army War College Nigeria, AWCN, as Commandant, while Major General UM Alkali moves from AWCN to AHQ DCMA. Major General GS Muhammed moves from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, to the Nigerian Army Finance Corporation, NAFIC, as Director General.
Major General JE Osifo moves from NAFIC to the Military Pension Board, MPB, as Chairman, and Major General IE Ekpenyong has been redeployed to DHQ Department of Defence Logistics as Director Engineering Services.
At the operational level, Brigadier General AA Bello moves from 6 Division Garrison/Sector 3 JTF South-South, Operation DELTA SAFE, to DHQ Department of Defence Operations. Brigadier General MS Adamu has been redeployed from Nigerian Army Women Command to the newly established 8 Brigade as Commander, while Brigadier General MS Sule moves from Special Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE to 27 Task Force Brigade as Commander.
Also, Brigadier General I Sule has been redeployed from the Directorate of Recruitment Management to 6 Division Garrison as Commander, Brigadier General E Azenda moves from Land Forces Simulation Centre to 2 Division Garrison as Commander, and Brigadier General AS Bugaje moves from 2 Division Garrison to the Land Forces Simulation Centre as Director Administration.
The COAS charged the newly appointed officers to justify the confidence reposed in them through exemplary leadership, operational innovation, professionalism and unwavering commitment to duty, with relentless focus on the constitutional mandate of defending Nigeria’s sovereignty, protecting its territorial integrity and supporting civil authority in maintaining peace and security.
The statement added that the Nigerian Army remains resolute in sustaining a dynamic leadership and force-employment framework that enhances operational outcomes, strengthens joint and inter-agency coordination and improves the capacity of the Service to respond decisively to contemporary and emerging threats in furtherance of Nigeria’s national security objectives.
