Several Officers Redeployed In New Air Force Shake-up

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has redeployed a number of senior officers and appointed new ones in new shake-up.

A statement by Group Captain Joel Abioye said the newly appointed and redeployed senior officers were expected to assume their offices on or before Friday, January 6, 2023.

He said the shake-up was part of routine exercise aimed at ensuring operational efficiency and effective service delivery.

Abioye said the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, by the foregoing approved the appointment and redeployment of new Branch Chiefs, Air Officers Commanding (AOCs), Commandants of Tri-Service and Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Institutions including a new Spokesperson and other senior officers.

He listed the newly appointed Branch Chiefs as; Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Jackson Yusuf, formerly, Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP), Headquarters NAF (HQ NAF), who is now the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans (CDPP), Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Abuja; AVM Idi Lubo, erstwhile Commandant, Armed Forces Resettlement Centre is now Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP) HQ NAF; AVM Mohammed Yakubu, immediate-past Commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) is now appointed Chief of Aircraft Engineering, HQ NAF; while AVM Ayoola Jolasinmi, former CDPP, DHQ is now the Chief of Defence Space Administration.

Also, the immediate-past Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, AVM Anthony Tuwase is now the Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation (CDTI), DHQ.

Others were AVM Paul Masiyer, who is now the Chief of Logistics, HQ NAF; AVM Ibikunle Daramola, the erstwhile Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Ground Training Command (GTC) is appointed the Chief of Communications Information Systems (CCIS), HQ NAF; AVM Samuel Chinda appointed Chief of Air Intelligence, HQ NAF; while AVM Anthony Ndace is now the Air Secretary, HQ NAF.

Also affected by the new appointments were AVM Emmanuel Wonah, former Chief of Aircraft Engineering, who is now the Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji; AVM Charles Ohwo, former CDTI, who has now been appointed as the Commandant, Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Lagos; AVM Paul Jemitola, the immediate-past Air Secretary is now the Commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna, and AVM Abraham Adole as the Commandant, Air Force War College, Makurdi.

The newly appointed AOCs are AVM Sayo Olatunde, former Commandant Air Force War College now the AOC, Ground Training Command, Enugu; AVM Ebimobo Ebiowe is now the AOC Mobility Command, Yenagoa; while the former Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Air Commodore (Air Cdre) Edward Gabkwet, has been appointed Commander 551 NAF Station, Jos; as Air Cdre Wapkerem Maigida is now the new NAF Spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Air Cdre Olayinka Oyesola takes over as the Air Component Commander (Joint Task Force North-East) Operation Hadin Kai.Air Marshal Amao while congratulating the new appointees, charged them to bring their professional experiences to bear and continually explore new methods of proffering workable solutions and renewed strategies to resolving the security challenges in the country.