Air Force redeploys 41 senior officers

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said it had redeployed 41 of its senior officers for operational efficiency and effectiveness.

The affected officers comprise of 19 Air Vice Marshals (AVMs), 14 Air Commodores (Air Cdre), four Group Captains (Gp Capt), two Wing Commanders (Wg Cdr) and two Squadron Leaders (Sqn Ldr).

A statement by NAF’s spokesman, Olatokunbo Adesanya in Abuja yesterday said the postings and redeployment was a result of the recent promotion of the senior officers.

The statement read in part: “Those affected by the new postings are AVM Lawal Alao who is now the Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji and AVM Olusoji Awomodu, who has been appointed as the Director, Manning and Establishments at the Defence Headquarters.

“AVM Bello Garba has been redeployed as the Chief of Logistics at headquarters of NAF (HQ NAF) and AVM Mahmoud Ahmed has taken over as Chief of Administration, also at HQ NAF.

“Other appointments include those of AVM Mohammed Suleiman as the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Makurdi, AVM Samuel Babalola as the Director of Personnel Management at HQ NAF, AVM Tunde Awoyoola as Deputy Chief of Defence Space Agency and AVM Haruna Mohammed as Commandant Air Traffic Services Training Centre. AVM Sambo Usman was appointed Managing Director of NAF Holding Company, AVM Remigus Ekeh is the new Director of Evaluation at HQ NAF while AVM Paul Dimfwina becomes the Coordinator, Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee at HQ NAF. AVM Ibukun Ojeyemi is now the SASO at Headquarters Air Training Command, Kaduna as AVM Frank Oparah was appointed as Director of Research at Defence Headquarters.

“Also appointed are AVM Peter Uzezi as Director Earth Observation at Defence Space Agency, AVM Olusegun Philips as Director of Museum and Archives at HQ NAF, AVM Chinwendu Onyike as Director of Technical Services at Defence Intelligence Agency and AVM Emmanuel Wonah as SASO, Headquarters Logistics Command, Ikeja.”

Similarly, “AVM Abubakar Liman has been appointed as SASO, Headquarters Special Operations Command, Bauchi, AVM Mahmud Madi as Director of Launch Services and Space Operations at Defence Space Agency and Air Cdre Noah Oyibo as SASO, Headquarters Ground Training Command, Enugu.” According to the statement, “Air Cdre Cosmas Ozouggwu is to take over as Director of Production at HQ NAF while Air Cdre David Aluku becomes the Director of Civil Military Relations also at HQ NAF.”

The new posting also brought about changes at the unit level and some of the new commanders and commandants are Air Cdre Edward Adedokun, who was appointed as Commandant NAF Institute of Safety, Kaduna and Air Cdre Paul Masiyer, appointed as Commandant Military Training Centre, Kaduna.

“In addition, Air Cdre Moses Onilede is to take over as Commander 631 Aircraft Maintenance Depot, Ikeja while Air Cdre Elijah Ebiowe is now the Commander 115 Special Operations Group, Port Harcourt,” the statement said.

He noted that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has directed the newly appointed commanders of NAF field units to attend a workshop being organized at HQ NAF Abuja on January 3, 2018 for commanders.