By AAT and Stephen Adoga
For over five years under President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerians battled insecurity. The situation in the country worsen under this administration with high level of banditry, kidnapping and other lawless activities. From various quarters,there were calls for a rejig of the top hierarchy of the national security who in the history of this country happens to be the longest. Aside that,the tenures of the outgone service chief were marred with lot of controversies. However,it has became a peaceful agitation on the airwaves for Mr Buhari to change the service chiefs. Nigerians wanted new heads with fresh ideas, because they believed a change in the top echelon of the security architecture could impact positively on the dangerous, escalating situation. From across the six geopolitical zones of Africa’s most populous nation, calls for the sack and replacement of the service chiefs echoed, loudly, on television and radio stations, newspapers and the internet. As the citizens increasingly fear for their safety at home and on the highways, calls for regional, state and self-arming for self-defense grew even louder, leaving the atmosphere with colorations of a state at war with itself.
Despite the loudness and consistency of the calls as death toll rise from attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents, herdsmen/farmers clashes, kidnapping and other forms of banditry, the president, surprisingly, remained unmoved until he became convinced on Tuesday afternoon, that it was time to accept the resignation of the security chiefs, to pave way for a new leadership era in the defence of the county’s territorial integrity against external and internal aggression.
In this piece, the Sparklight News takes a look at the profiles of the top military generals who have been appointed to protect Nigeria after five years of national outcry against the leadership of the former chiefs.
CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF
Born in Ika South, Delta State, on 5th October, 1965, General Leo Irabor, the new Chief of Defence Staff, is a member of regular course 34 of the Nigerian Defence Academy. He was at a point the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole. From there, he was deployed to the Training and Doctrine Command, TRADOC as Commander.
CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF
Major General Ibrahim Attahiru was born on 10th August, 1966. He is a member of the Regular Course 35 of the Nigerian Defence Academy. Until his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff, he was the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu. He also served as the Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole, taking over from Major General Leo Irabor, the new Chief of Defence Staff.
CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF
Rear Admiral Awwal Zubaru, the new Chief of Naval Staff, hails from Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State. Born on April 22, 1966, he enlisted into the Nigerian Navy on September 24, 1984, as a member of the Regular Course 36 and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on September 24, 1988. He is an Underwater Warfare specialist with a sub-specialization in Intelligence.
The senior officer has attended several Military courses which include: Sub Technical course and Officers Long course, both at the NNS QUORRA. He also attended Junior Division 48/49 and Senior Course 26, both at AFCSC Jaji. Other courses he 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. The senior officer holds a PhD in Transport Management and a Masters Degree in Transport Management (Logistic Option), both from Ladoke Akintola University. He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management; Fellow of the Certified Institute of Shipping; Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria, as well as a fellow of the National Defence College South Africa. Read Admiral Zubaru has been awarded the Grand Service Star Distinguished Service Star, Passed Staff Course among several other decorations and awards.
CHIEF OF AIR STAFF
Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao, the new Chief of Air Staff, is currently the Air Officer Commanding Tactical Air Command. He was born on 14 September 1965 in Enugu. He hails from Oshogbo Local Government Area of Osun State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force on 19 January 1984, as a member of 35 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy and was commissioned as Pilot Officer on 20 December 1986. He started his Primary Flying Training at 301 Flying Training School, FTS Kaduna from 1987 to 1989. He did Basic Flying Training at 303 FTS Kano from 1990 to 1992 and Tactical Fighter Training at 99 Air Combat Training Group (99 ACTG) Kainji from 1993to 9999. Thereafter, he went for the Instructor Pilot Course at 301 FTS Kaduna from 2004 to 2005. The senior officer has attended several military courses which include: Junior Division Course at Armed Forces Command Staff College (AFCSC) Jaji; Senior Division Course at Defence Services Staff College India; Defence Course at National Defence University China, Aircraft Accident Investigation in Civil Airline at NCAT Zaria and Aircraft Accident Investigation Course at Karachi, Pakistan.