By Linus Aleke, Abuja
In a surprise move yesterday, President Bola Tinubu announced the appointment of new Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), National Security Adviser (NSA), and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (CG NCS), amongst others.
The president also approved the immediate dissolution of the governing boards of all Federal Government parastatals, agencies, institutions, and government-owned companies in the exercise of his constitutional powers, and in the public interest.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, who announced this in a statement in Abuja, said the former service chiefs and others were retired with immediate effect.
*Names Ribadu new NSA, Musa (CDS), Lagbaja (CoAS), Ogalla (CNS), Abubakar (CAS), Egbetokun (IGP), Adewale (Customs CG)
The Director of Information, Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Willie Bassey, who signed the statement, listed the newly-appointed officers as, “Mallam Nuhu Ribadu- National Security Adviser (NSA); Maj.-Gen. CG Musa (Chief of Defence Staff), Maj.-Gen. TA Lagbaja (Chief of Army Staff), Rear-Admiral EA Ogalla (Chief of the Naval Staff), AVM HB Abubakar (Chief of the Air Staff, DIG Kayode Egbetokun (acting Inspector-General of Police), and Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye (Chief of Defence Intelligence)”.
The president also approved the appointment of Adeniyi Bashir Adewale as the Ag. Comptroller-General of Customs.
The statement added that the president also approved the following appointments:
“Col. Adebisi Onasanya (Brigade of Guards Commander); Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf, (Guards Battalion, Asokoro), Abuja, Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa (177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State), Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim (102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger State), and Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote (176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja)”.
Also, president Tinubu approved the appointments of other military officers in the Presidential Villa as follows: “Maj. Isa Farouk Audu (N/14695) (Commanding Officer, State House Artillery; Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (N/16183) (Second-in-Command, State House Artillery),
“Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (N/14656) (Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence, Maj. TS Adeola (N/12860) (Commanding Officer, State House Armament), Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578) (Second-in-Command, State House Armament).”
The statement added that “Mr. President further approved the appointments of two additional Special Advisers, and two Senior Assistants, namely: “Hadiza Bala Usman Special Adviser, Policy Coordination; Hannatu Musa Musawa Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy,
Sen. Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel (Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (Senate), Hon. (Barr) Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim (Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives)”.
The appointed Service Chiefs, the IGP, and the Comptroller General of Customs, Bassey said, are to act in their positions, pending their confirmation following the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Yesterday’s appointment has put to rest speculations over the nomenclature of Ribadu, earlier appointment as Security Adviser.
Born on 21 November 1960, in present-day Adamawa State, Ribadu is a Nigerian politician and former police officer. He was the former chairman of the Petroleum Special Revenue Task Force (PRSTF), and pioneer Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ribadu studied Law at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Kaduna State, from 1980 until 1983, receiving a Bachelor of Laws degree. Following a year at the Nigerian Law School, he was called to Bar in 1984. He also earned a Master of Laws degree from the same university. He is also a TED Fellow and a Senior Fellow at St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford, UK.
The new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa was born in Sokoto State, North-West Nigeria on December 25, 1967.
He hails from the Zangon Kataf local government area in the Christian South of Kaduna State.
He was the former Theatre Commander of North-East Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK).
Before his new appointment, he was the Corps Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps, Headquarters, Infantry Corps Centre, Jaji Military Cantonment.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General, T. A Lagbaja, is from South-West Nigeria.
He is a member of the 39 regular courses of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
Until his new appointment, he was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna.
The new Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear-Adm Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, was born on 20 December 1968 in Enugu Ezike, Igbo Eze North LGA, Enugu State, Nigeria.
He obtained the West African School Certificate (WASC) from the Nigerian Military School (NMS), Zaria in June 1987 where he graduated as the best boy in the Sciences. He had A1 in all subjects except English Language. He is a member of the 39 RC NDA, graduated with a B.Sc in Mathematics, and was awarded the sword of honour as the best naval cadet in his course.
He was commissioned a Sub-Lieutenant on 16th Sep 1992 and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral on 16th September 2021.
The new Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Hassan Bala Abubakar was born on 11th September 1970.
He hails from Shanono local government area in Kano State.
President Tinubu also appointed Deputy Inspector-general of Police, DIG Kayode Egbetokun, as the acting Inspector-General of Police pending the confirmation of the Senate.
Until his latest appointment, Egbetokun was decorated as the Deputy Inspector-General of Police and supervising DIG for the South-West geo-political zone, to man the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), Force Headquarters, Abuja, since April 6, 2023.
The new police boss was born on September 4, 1964, in Erinja, Yewa South local government area of Ogun State and he enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on March 3, 1990, as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police.
He had his initial cadet training in the Nigeria Police Academy and has attended many other courses within and outside the Police Force.
He has worked in several Police Commands and formations across the country and held command positions at various times.
As a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in 1999, he was appointed the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the then-elected governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, who is now the president of Nigeria.
In that capacity, he coordinated the security of the entire state while reporting to the governor.
He has served as the Commander of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos, Squadron Commander, MOPOL, Anti-Fraud Unit, FCT Command, Abuja, Chief Superintendent of Police, Administration, Lagos State Command headquarters, Ikeja, Area Commander, Osogbo, Osun State Command and Area Commander, Gusau, Zamfara State Command, among several others.
Egbetokun is not only a police officer but a mathematician. He graduated from the University of Lagos, Akoka, with a Bachelor of Science degree (BSc) in Mathematics in June 1987 and lectured Mathematics briefly at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, before his enlistment into the Police Force.
His other academic qualifications include an MSc in Engineering Analysis, also from the University of Lagos, Akoka, 1996, a PGD in Petroleum Economics from Delta State University, Abraka, 2000, and an MBA from Lagos State University, Ojo in 2004.
He enlisted into the NAF as a member of NDA RC 39 and was commissioned Pilot Officer on 19th September 1992.
There are also speculations that several generals will go on forced retirement following the appointment of the new service chiefs.
The members of the regular course 38 still in service will exit the service as the corps of news service chiefs are from course 39.
Dissolves all boards of federal parastatals, agencies, and others
Also yesterday, President Tinubu approved the immediate dissolution of the Governing Boards of all Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies, Institutions, and Government-Owned Companies in the exercise of its Constitutional Powers and the Public interest.
The dissolution does not, according to a statement signed by Bassey, however, affect Boards, Commissions, and Councils listed in the Third Schedule, Part 1, Section 153 (i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
It said, “Because of this development and until such a time new boards are constituted, the Chief Executive Officers of the Parastatals, Agencies, Institutions, and Government-Owned Companies are directed to refer matters requiring the attention of their Boards to the President, through the Permanent Secretaries of their respective supervisory Ministries and Offices.
“Permanent Secretaries are directed, also, to route such correspondences to Mr President through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Consequently, all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies are to ensure compliance with the provision of this directive which took effect from Friday 16th June, 2023.
“Permanent Secretaries are particularly directed to inform the Chief Executive Officers of the affected Agencies under the supervision of their respective Ministries/Offices for immediate compliance.”
