The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved a major shake-up in the Nigerian Army, redeploying and appointing 67 generals to new command, staff, and training positions.
The redeployment, announced in a statement on Thursday by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Appolonia Anele, is aimed at strengthening leadership, enhancing operational efficiency, and improving command performance across the service.
The announcement comes shortly after President Bola Tinubu decorated the newly appointed service chiefs at the State House in Abuja.
According to the statement, Maj. Gen. Bamidele Alabi is now the Chief of Policy and Plans at the Army Headquarters, while Maj. Gen. Jamal Abdulsalam moves to the Defence Headquarters as Chief of Defence Operations. Maj. Gen. Peter Mala becomes Commander, Training and Doctrine Command.
Other appointments include Maj. Gen. Samson Jiya as Chief of Defence Accounts and Budget, Maj. Gen. Mayirenso Saraso as Chief of Operations (Army), and Maj. Gen. Isa Abdullahi as Chief of Administration (Army). Maj. Gen. Musa Etsu-Ndagi was posted as Chief of Civil-Military Affairs.
In other postings, Maj. Gen. Godwin Mutkut becomes Corps Commander Infantry; Maj. Gen. Umar Abubakar, Commander Armour Corps; Maj. Gen. John Adeyemo, Corps Commander Artillery; and Maj. Gen. Mohammed Abdullahi, Corps Commander Signals.
The reshuffle also affects training institutions. Maj. Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye is now Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy, while Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Mustapha, Maj. Gen. Adamu Hassan, and Brig. Gen. John Bulus were appointed Commandants of the Nigerian Army Signal School, School of Artillery, and School of Finance and Accounts, respectively.
New field commanders include Maj. Gen. Saidu Audu, Force Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force in N’Djamena; Maj. Gen. Warrah Idris, Commander, Joint Task Force North West (Operation FANSAN YAMMA); and Maj. Gen. Oluremi Fadairo, GOC 82 Division and Commander, Joint Task Force South East (Operation UDO KA).
Lt. Gen. Shaibu charged the officers to uphold professionalism, integrity, and excellence in their new assignments.
Earlier on Thursday, President Bola Tinubu urged the newly decorated service chiefs to crush terrorism, banditry, and emerging security threats, saying Nigerians expect “results, not excuses.”
“We cannot allow the crisis that began in 2009 to persist any longer. Nigerians expect results, not excuses,” Tinubu said during the decoration ceremony attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima and other top officials.
He urged the officers to deploy technology, share intelligence, and act decisively to end insecurity.
“Security threats are constantly evolving. We must be proactive. Smash the new snakes right at the head,” he warned.
Responding, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, pledged that the armed forces would make Nigeria safer through collaboration, intelligence-driven operations, and improved troop welfare.