After years of clamoring for the replacement of Nigeria’s service chiefs, following heightened insecurity in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari finally yielded and replaced the 4 service chiefs on Tuesday, January 26, 2021.
Consequently, different reactions have trailed the appointment of the new service chiefs.
While the middle belt forum is lamenting the exclusion of the eastern part of the country in the appointment of the service chiefs, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adeshina, says the president appoints whoever he thinks fit and proper.
So here is what you should know about President Buhari’s Fit and proper chiefs;
Chief of Army Staff: Major General Ibrahim Attahiru
Major general Ibrahim Attahiru a native of Kaduna state born on August 10, 1966, succeeds Tukur Buratai. He was a former commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, the code name for the special military operation against insurgency in North-East Nigeria, but was sacked in July 2017 when The Nigerian Army announced on December 6 that Major General Rogers Ibe Nicholas will be replacing Major General Ibrahim Attahiru as the commander of Operation Lafiya Dole following series of increased attacks and suicide bombings by Boko Haram using young girls under his command.
Chief of Air Staff: Air Vice Marshall Isiaka Amao
Air Vice Marshall Isiaka Amao a native of Osun state born on 14 September 1965, succeeds Abubakar Sadique. Amao is a fighter instructor pilot with over 1500 jet and instructional hours and a recipient of the Chief of Air Staff letter of commendation for good leadership. He joined the Nigerian Air Force on January 19, 1984, as a member of the 35 NDA Regular Course and was commissioned as Pilot Officer on December 20, 1986.
Chief of Naval Staff: Rear Admiral Auwal Gambo
Rear admiral Auwal Gambo a native of Kano state succeeds Ibok Ibas. He was an Underwater Warfare specialist with a sub-specialization in Intelligence and a former Director of Procurement at the Defence Space Administration until his recent appointment. He joined the Nigerian Navy in September 1984 as a member of Regular Course 36.
Chief Of Defence Staff: Maj. Gen. Lucky Eluonye Onyenuchea
Maj. Gen. Lucky Eluonye Onyenuchea Irabor a native of Delta state was born on the 5th of October 1965. Irabor is a trained engineer from the Obafemi Awolowo University. The senior officer gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna as a member of the 34 Regular Course in 1983 and was commissioned Second Lieutenant on June 28 1986 into the Signals Corps of the Nigerian Army.
One question lingers in the minds of many…will the incessant cases of kidnappings and banditry across the country be any different with the advent of the New Service Chiefs? Only time will tell!
