NAF Redeploys 52 Air Vice Marshals, 46 Air Commodores In Major Shake-up

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Hassan Abubakar has approved the redeployment of 98 officers of air rank as Branch Chiefs, Air Officers Commanding (AOCs), Commandants of Tri-Service Establishments, and NAF institutions in a major shakeup.

The newly reappointed senior officers comprise 52 AVMs and 46 Air Commodores (Air Cdres).

The development brings back Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet to NAF as Direct of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI).

A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information Air Cdre Ayodele Famuyiwa said the newly appointed senior officers are expected to assume office not later than Monday, 3 July 2023.

Some of the new appointees, redeployed officers are the former Commandant Air Force War College (AWC), AVM Abraham Adole who is now the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans (CDPP) at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ); while AVM Nkem Aguiyi takes over as the Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation (CDTI) at the DHQ.

In the same vein AVM Ahmed Shinkafi becomes the Chief of Defence Space Administration (CDSA) at the Headquarters Nigerian Air Force (HQ NAF), former Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command (AOC GTC), AVM Sayo Olatunde is now the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP); AVM Ibikunle Daramola remains the Chief of Communications Information Systems (CCIS).

Meanwhile; AVM Pius Oahimire is appointed the Chief of Aircraft Engineering (CAcE), HQ NAF; AVM Uchechi Nwagwu takes over as the Chief of Accounts and Budget (CAB).

Others are former AOC Special Operations Command (SOC) Bauchi, AVM Abubakar Abdulkadir now the Chief of Training and Operations (CTOP);  AVM Dominic Danat as the Chief of Logistics (CLOG); AVM Ahmed Bakari as Air Secretary; AVM Michael Onyebashi as Chief of Standards and Evaluation (COSE), HQ NAF; AVM Idi Sani as Chief of Administration (COA); AVM Anthony Ekpe retains his appointment as the Chief of Medical Services (CMS); while Air Cdre Friday Ogohi is now the Chief of Air Intelligence (CAI),HQ NAF.

The newly appointed commandants include AVM Adeniyi Amesinlola who now heads the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (AFRC), Oshodi; while AVM Hassan Alhaji takes charge of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji.

Other also affected are AVM Sani Rabe who now heads the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna; AVM Adebayo Kehinde takes over command of the Air Force War College, Makurdi; while AVM Esen Efanga is Commandant Air Warfare Centre, Abuja.

Also affected by the latest redeployments are AVM Francis Edosa appointed the AOC Tactical Air Command (AOC TAC), Makurdi; AVM Tajudeen Yusuf as AOC Mobility Command (AOC MC), Yenagoa; AVM Eneobong Effiom as AOC SOC, Bauchi; AVM Nnamdi Ananaba as AOC Air Training Command (AOC ATC), Kaduna; AVM Usman Abdullahi as AOC GTC, Enugu; and AVM Abubakar Abdullahi as AOC Logistics Command (AOC LC).

In the same vein, AVM Kabir Umar is now the Group Managing Director of NAF Investments Limited Group of Companies; AVM Sunday Aneke appointed Deputy Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna; AVM Titus Dauda as the College Secretary, National Defence College (NDC), Abuja; while Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet has been reappointed as the Director of Public Relations and Information.