NAF Redeploys Top Air Officers in Major Posting

NAF Redeploys Top Air Officers in Major Posting

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has redeployed a total of 36 Air Vice Marshals (AVMs) and 40 Air Commodores (Air Cdres) including some Branch Chiefs, Air Officers Commanding (AOCs), Commandants of Tri-Service Institutions, Directors and Commanders. The appointments and redeployments, which followed the recent promotion of some senior officers to the next higher ranks as well as the retirement of some senior officers, is a routine exercise aimed at further re-invigorating operational efficiency and enhancing service delivery.

Branch Chiefs affected by the redeployment include AVM Oladayo Amao, the former Chief of Training and Operations (CTOP) Headquarters NAF (HQ NAF), who has now been appointed as the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP); while AVM James Gwani, the erstwhile AOC Special Operations Command (SOC), has been appointed as the new CTOP. Additionally, AVM Musibau Olatunji has been appointed as the new Chief of Aircraft Engineering (CAcE), while AVM Mohammed Idris has been appointed as the Chief of Administration (COA) HQ NAF.

Also redeployed are AVM Abubakar Liman, the erstwhile Commandant of the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (AFRC), Oshodi, who has now been appointed as Commandant Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji; AVM Kingsley Lar, the former COA HQ NAF, has been appointed as the Commandant of AFRC, Oshodi; while AVM Abdulganiyu Olabisi, the former AOC Logistics Command (LC) is now the Commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna.

4. The new AOCs include: AVM Olusegun Philip, who is now the AOC Tactical Air Command (AOC TAC) in Makurdi; AVM Charles Ohwo, the former AOC TAC, who is now the AOC SOC, Bauchi; AVM Ibukun Ojeyemi who has been appointed as the AOC Mobility Command (MC) in Yenagoa and AVM Musa Muktar who is the new AOC Air Training Command (ATC); while the former Commandant AFCSC, AVM Lawal Alao, is now the AOC LC, Ikeja.

5. Other senior officers redeployed include AVM Anderson Kassimu who is now the Managing Director NAF Properties Limited; AVM Mohammed Suleiman who is appointed as the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans (CDPP), Defence Headquarters (DHQ), AVM Tunde Awoyoola as Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation, DHQ; AVM Ubrufi Uzezi as Deputy Chief of the Defence Space Administration and AVM Charles Otegbade to the Air Traffic Services Training Centre (ATSTC), Kaduna as Commandant. Also affected are AVM Idi Lubo who is now the Director of Policy HQ NAF, AVM Ayoola Jolasinmi who is appointed as Director of Operations, AVM Aliyu Pani as the Director of Administration and Air Commodore Abraham Adole as Director of Training, HQ NAF.

6. Also redeployed is the former Commander 011 Presidential Air Fleet (011 PAF), AVM Hassan Abubakar who is now the Chief of Staff (COS) MC, Yenagoa. He is to be replaced by Air Commodore Abubakar Abdullahi while Air Commodore Simon Peter is to take over as the Commander 053 NAF Camp, Abuja and Air Commodore Razak Olanrewaju is appointed as the new Commander 651 Bases Services Group, Ikeja. The newly appointed and redeployed senior officers are expected to take over their new offices not later than Tuesday, 7 January 2020.

IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force
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NEW YEAR MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF
Air Marshal SB Abubakar DFS GSS psc(+) fwc fdc(+) MSc

It is with great delight and gratitude to the Almighty that I welcome all officers, airmen/airwomen and civilian staff of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to the Year 2020. It is my sincere hope that this year, which marks the beginning of a New Decade, will bring fulfilment, happiness and prosperity to you and your families. This auspicious advent of a New Year and indeed a New Decade, also affords me the opportunity to appreciate all our efforts geared towards ensuring the NAF continues to discharge its constitutional roles effectively. In this regard, special mention must be made of our gallant Pilots, Regiment/Special Forces as well as support elements serving in the various theatres of operations across the Country. The Nation owes you a debt of gratitude for your hard work, patriotism and selfless sacrifices made towards ensuring the security of Nigeria and Nigerians.

Over the past few years, the NAF, along with sister Services and other security agencies, has been involved in a number of Internal Security Operations across the country. These include: Operations SAFE HAVEN and WHIRL STROKE in the North Central; AWATSE in the South West, HADARIN DAJI in the North West, DELTA SAFE in the South-South and LAFIYA DOLE in the North East. It is gratifying to note that, due to your various efforts as well as those of your colleagues in other security agencies, relative peace has been restored to most parts of the North-Central States. Similarly, the activities of pipeline vandals and other criminals in the South-South and South West have been curtailed significantly. Accordingly, the notable gains have given rise to the directives for the NAF and sister Services to gradually scale down involvement in some of these operations. The operations in the North West are also yielding tangible fruits with a gradual reduction in banditry due to effective kinetic operations in early 2019 that paved way for Governors in the region to engage the bandits in dialogue with a view to sustainably achieving peaceful resolution of the security challenges.

In the North East, the heightened intensity of kinetic air and ground operations dealt decisive blows on the terrorists during the out-gone year. In this wise, the NAF sustained its vital air interdiction missions, as evidenced in the recent Operation RATTLE SNAKE, which recorded significant successes in neutralizing terrorists’ camps and logistics facilities. Moreover, we also continued to provide Close Air Support, whilst sustaining other combat and combat support roles which shaped the battlespace for effective ground operations. The recent decisive victories over the terrorists at Damaturu in Yobe State and Mallam Fatori in Borno State, amongst others, are evidences of the tremendous results that synergistic air and ground operations can produce.

It must be emphasised, that none of the aforementioned successes would have been possible without your courage, commitment and dedication to duty, for which I once more express my sincere commendation. This notwithstanding, I charge you all not to rest on your laurels, as much still needs to be done to rid our beloved Nation of all elements that threaten the security of the citizenry. Accordingly, you will need to re-double your efforts whilst ramping up the pressure on the criminal elements and sustaining the relentless onslaught against the terrorists and insurgents. You must nevertheless remain professional in the discharge of your duties and ensure that the rights of all law-abiding citizens are protected to enable them go about their lawful activities without encumbrances.

You must be buoyed by the immense support and enabling environment created by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, which have enabled the NAF to be more effective and efficient in the discharge of its duties. Through this support, the Service has sustained its efforts to enhance its aircraft holding, through acquisition of new platforms and reactivation of existing ones. We have also continued to raise the standard of professionalism through result-oriented training whilst also improving on personnel welfare and sustaining the tempo of our Research and Development for enhanced self-reliance and operational effectiveness.

In view of the foregoing, I believe that the Year 2020, while undoubtedly having its fair share of challenges and possibilities, will be a landmark year for the NAF. We must therefore gear up to make the most of the possibilities for greater service delivery, whilst leveraging our collective resolve to surmount the inherent challenges. I also enjoin all NAF personnel to march into the future with the rugged determination for which we are known. The Nigerian people deserve this and more from us. We must therefore give our wholehearted commitment to the fight against all enemies of this great Nation, remembering that “in the race to add value to our society and secure our communities, there is no finishing line”.

I once again wish you and your families a Happy and Prosperous New Year as we march with optimism into the New Decade.

Air Marshal SB Abubakar
Chief of Air Staff
NIGERIAN AIR FORCE