Buratai’s former CoS now Chief of Defence Staff

Major General Leo Irabor, who replaced General Olonisakin as the new Chief of Defence Staff once served as the Chief of Staff to the outgoing Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

On Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, relieved all his Service Chiefs, and appointed new ones to replace them.

Those involved are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.

The new Chief of Defence Staff is from Agbor in Delta State. He was a member of the Regular Course 39 of the NDA.

He served as a Commander Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) of the Nigerian Army, Minna.

Major General Irabor also served as Chief of Training and Operations (CTOP) Defence Headquarters. He served as the theatre Commander Operation Lafiya Dole and headed the MultiNational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) as the Field Commander.

The new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Attahiru Ibrahim, until his appointment was the General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Nigerian Army.

He was appointed to lead the offensive against Boko Haram in the North-East in May 2017.

He was however redeployed by the then Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai after a string of attacks by the insurgents, including after giving him a deadline in July to deliver Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau dead or alive within 40 days.

Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao, was born on 14 September 1965 at Enugu. He hails from Oshogbo in LGA of Osun State.

Until his appointment as the Chief of Air Staff by the President, Muhammadu Buhari, AVM I. O Amao was the Commandant Armed Forces Resettlement Centre Lagos.

He enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force on January 19, 1984 as a member of the 35 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, the new Chief of Naval Staff, was born on 22 Apr 66 and hails from Nasarawa LGA in Kano State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Navy on 24 Sep 84 as a member of Regular Course 36 and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on 24 Sep 88.

The senior officer has attended several military courses which include, Sub-Technical course and Officers Long course both at NNS QUORRA. He also attended Junior Division 48/89 and Senior Course 26 both at AFCSC Jaji.

Other courses attended include the National Defence Course at the South African National Defence College. Until his recent appointment as the CNS, he was the Director of Procurement at the Defence Space Administration.