New Service Chiefs, All you need to know about them

Chief Of Defence Staff, Meet Major-General LEO Irabor

Major General L.E.O Irabor is a RC 34 officer who attained that rank in 2014 and has served as Theatre Commander in the NE. The General hails from the vicinity of Agbor in Delta State. Major General Irabor who is the immediate Chief of Training and Operations, Defence headquarters, took over from the erstwhile Commander, Major General AA Tarfa. On the 26th January 2021 he was appointed the new CDS by His Excellency, President Buhari. Major General Lucky E.O. IRABOR is the Chief of Defence, Training and Operations at the Defence Headquarters, Armed Forces of Nigeria. Irabor is an Alumnus of the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College Ghana, the National Defence College Bangladesh and Harvard Kennedy School of Government Executive Programme, USA.

Major General Lucky Irabor is a trained Engineer from Obafemi Awolowo University and holds two Masters Degrees from the University of Ghana, Accra, and Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka. As the CDTOPs, he oversees training and operations in the Armed Forces of Nigeria under the direction of the Chief of Defence Staff. Specifically, he undertakes periodic reviews of a broad range of policies and activities relating to training and operations in the Armed forces.

The General was formerly the Theatre Commander of OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE, North-East Nigeria as well as Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin Area. The operations focused on Counter-Terrorism/Counterinsurgency. He is a distinguished awardee of several militaries, ECOMOG and United Nations Awards and Medals. The senior officer is widely traveled.

Chief Of Army Staff, Major-General Attahiru

Before the appointment of Maj Gen Attahiru Ibrahim as the new Chief of Army Staff, he was incharge of the 82 Division, Nigerian Army. Maj Gen Attahiru Ibrahim was appointed to lead the offensive against Boko Haram in the North-East in May 2017. He was later replaced with another general, Nicholas Rogers, who led a special military and police force to tackle ethnic clashes in the volatile central region.

Here is a report about Major General Attahiru Ibrahim by The Cable in December 2017.

Army replaces commander in war against Boko Haram after six months. Attahiru Ibrahim, a major general, has been removed from his position as the theatre commander of the Lafiya Dole operation. TheCable understands that Ibrahim has been replaced by Rogers Nicholas, a major general who was formerly in charge of logistics at the army headquarters. Ibrahim is expected to resume as deputy chief of policy and plans at the army headquarters. His removal is said to be linked to the seeming inefficiency of his command in tackling the Boko Haram insurgency. In May, he took over the theatre command from Lucky Irabor who is now coordinating the multinational joint task force (MNJTF). Since then, suicide bombings and attacks on military formations have been on the rise.

In June, barely a month after Ibrahim took over, Boko Haram insurgents attacked Maiduguri, the Borno state capital. The month after, a group of geologists and technologists from the University of Maiduguri were ambushed by Boko Haram insurgents at Magumeri area of Borno state. About 12 soldiers who escorted the academics were reportedly killed. Some members of staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the team were also killed in the brutal ambush.

Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, in August gave a 40-day ultimatum for Ibrahim and his troops to capture Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the Boko Haram sect, but this is yet to be achieved. Months after the army chief had ordered the capture of Shekau, the sect, using four female suicide bombers, attacked Muna Gari, a suburb of Maiduguri, killing about 14 persons. Series of attacks were also carried out in Adamawa state. About 40 people were killed when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives in a mosque in Yola. A unit commander of the army and about 15 soldiers were killed in November when the insurgents attacked a military unit in Sassawa, Yobe state. A recent attack was carried out in Biu, Borno state, where two suicide bombers detonated their explosives in a market, killing about 18 people.

Chief Of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao

Amao was formerly the Deputy Theatre Commander OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE and later redeployed as the Director of Policy at HQ NAF. He was in January 2020 appointed as the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP). Air Vice-Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao was born on 14 Sep 65 at Enugu. He hails from Oshogbo LGA of Osun State. He attended the following academic schools: Nuhu Bamali Pry School Kaduna from 1971 – 77, Command Secondary School Kakuri Kaduna from 1977 – 82, Federal College of Freshwater and Fisheries Technology (FCFFT) New Bussa from 1994 – 96, University of Madras India from 2002 – 2003, Kaduna Polytechnic from 2005 – 2006 and National Defence University China from 2012 – 2013.

He enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force on 19 Jan 1984 as a member of 35 NDA Regular Course and was commissioned as Pilot Officer on 20 Dec 86. He started his Primary Flying Training at 301 Flying Training School (FTS) Kaduna from 1987 – 1989, did the Basic Flying Training at 303 FTS Kano from 1990 – 92 and Tactical Fighter Training at 99 Air Combat Training Group (99 ACTG) Kainji from 1993 – 99. Thereafter, went for Instructor Pilot Course at 301 FTS Kaduna from 2004 – 2005.

The senior officer had served in following NAF Units: 99 ACTG Kainji as Trainee/Sqn Pilot from 1993 – 2004, 301 FTS Kaduna as Instructor Pilot/Sqn Pilot from 2004 – 2007, HQ NAF Abuja as Air Assistance to Chief of Air Staff from Sep 08 – May 10, Nigerian High Commission London as Deputy Defence Adviser from May 10 – Aug 12 and Ag Defence Adviser from Nov 11 – Feb 12, Defence Headquarter as Assistance Director of operation from Aug 2013 – Jan 14, 99 ACTG as Commander from 25 Jan 14 – 20 Jan 15, 75 Strike Group (75 STG) as Commander from 20 Jan 15 – 16 Feb 16, Air Component Commander of operation ZAMAN LAFIYA / LAFIYA DOLE (North East operation) from 13 Feb 15 – 16 Feb 16, doubled as Acting Deputy Theater Commander (Air Ops) for operation LAFIYA DOLE from 4 Jan 16 – 16 Feb 16, Director of Policy (DOPOL) at HQ NAF, Abuja from 16 Feb – May 27 and Director of Operations (DOO) at HQ NAF, Abuja from 27 May – 6 Sep 16, Director of Training (DOT) at HQ NAF, Abuja from 6 Sep 16 – 22 Dec 16 and Director of Operations (DOO) at HQ NAF from 22 Dec 16 – 29 Jan 18. He is presently the Air Officer Commanding Tactical Air Command (TAC).

He is a fighter pilot and has participated in various operations such as: Draw Down of AFISMA operation in Mali from Aug 2013 – Jan 14, operation ZAMAN LAFIYA from 20 Feb – 19 Jul 15 and operation LAFIYA DOLE (North East operations) from 19 Jul 15 – 16 Feb 16. His decorations include: Forces Service Star (FSS), Meritorious Service Star (MSS), Distinguished Service Star (DSS), General Service Medal (GSM), River Benue Star (RBS), Passed Staff College (psc) and Fellow National Defence University (FNDU) China.

The senior officer has attended several military courses which include: Junior Division Course at Armed Forces Command Staff College (AFCSC) Jaji from Jun – Dec 1986, Senior Division Course at Defence Services Staff College India from 2002 – 2003, Defence Course at National Defence University China from 2012 – 2013, Aircraft Accident Investigation in Civil Airline at NCAT Zaria and Aircraft Accident Investigation Course at Karachi, Pakistan.

He has the following academic qualification: MSc in Defence and Strategic Studies from University of Madras, India, Master of Military Science and Strategy (MMSc) and Advance Diploma in Defence and Strategy Studies from NDU China, Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations and Diplomacy from Kaduna Polytechnic, National Diploma in Freshwater and Fisheries Technology from FCFFT New Bussa and Nigerian Defence Academy Certificate of Education. (Wikipedia)

Chief of Navy Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo

Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, was a Director of Search and Rescue Defence Headquarters, until his redeployment as Chief Staff Officer Naval Training Command in 2017.

Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo 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.

He is an Underwater Warfare specialist with a sub specialisation in Intelligence. 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. Nigeria’s new Naval Chief, Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (Regular Course 36) is an Underwater Warfare specialist, with a sub-specialization in Intelligence. He Holds a Master’s degree in Transport Management from LAUTECH.