COVER
Nigerian Army Redeploys 37 Generals in Major Shake-up
By Gom Mirian, Abuja
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, has approved the appointments and posting of senior offices in the Force.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, in Abuja, said the redeployment was to reinvigorate the system for greater professional efficiency.
The new postings and appointments which will take effect from July 20, according to Musa, include the postings and appointments of Major General LE Irabor from Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Abuja Department of Training and Operations to Training and Doctrine Command Minna.
Major General M Mohammed from Headquarters NA Signal Corps Apapa Lagos to Office of the COAS and appointed Special Adviser NA University Biu, Major General AM Dikko from Administrative Staff College of Nigerian Badagry Lagos to NA Training Centre Kontagora. Major General US Yakubu was redeployed from NA Corps of Artillery Kontagora to Army Headquarters Abuja (AHQ) and appointed Chief of Administration (Army); Major General BO Sawyer from AHQ Department of Policy and Plans to NA Armour School Bauchi and appointed Commandant; Major General IO Uzamere from NA College of Logistics, Lagos now redeployed to AHQ Abuja Department of Logistics and appointed Chief of Logistics (Army).
“Major General JO Irefin from Headquarters 81 Division Lagos to Headquarters 6 Division Port Harcourt and appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC), while Major General JO Akomolafe is now redeployed from Headquarters NA Armour Corps Bauchi to DHQ Abuja as Chief of Defence Standards and Evaluation.
“Others are – Major General CO Ude from NA Resource Centre Abuja to Defence Headquarters and appointed Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Major General HR Momoh from Defence Space Administration Abuja to AHQ Department of Policy and Plans and appointed Deputy Chief of Policy and Plans/ Director Special Duties, Major General AT Hamman from DHQ to AHQ Garrison and appointed Commander.
“Major General OA Akinyemi from Administrative Staff College of Nigeria to Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre Oshodi Lagos as Deputy Commandant, while Major General MH Magaji has been redeployed from NA Amour School to Headquarters NA Armour Corps and appointed Commander, Major General MA Masanawa from Defence Headquarters to NA Ordinance School Lagos as Commandant.
“Major General JI Unuigbe from AHQ Department of Logistics to DHQ and appointed Chief of Defence Logistics, Major General JGK Myam the erstwhile Commander AHQ Garrison Abuja is now the Commander NA Corps of Artillery.
Major General GA Umelo has been redeployed from AHQ Department of Training and Operations to Headquarters 81 Division and appointed General Officer Commanding, Major General SE Udounwa from AHQ Department of Policy and Plans to Army War College Abuja as Commandant, Major General MO Enendu from Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre to NA College of Logistics and appointed Commandant.
“Major General GS Abdullahi from DHQ to Land Forces Simulation Centre Nigeria and appointed Director General, Major General BN Salami from NA School of Supply and Transport is now redeployed to Headquarters NA Corps of Supply and Transport as Commander.
Also affected include – Major General FO Omoigui from AHQ Department of Training and Operations to Headquarters Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE Maiduguri and appointed Deputy Theater Commander; Major General IO Ehiorobo from NA School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering to Headquarters NA Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and appointed Commander, Major General KI Mukhtar from AHQ Department of Army Administration is now the Commandant Depot NA Zaria.
While the erstwhile Commandant Army War College Nigeria Major General C Ofoche has been redeployed to AHQ Department of Policy and Plans as Director Plans, Major General AB Ibrahim from AHQ Department of Training and Operations to Defence Space Administration is now Director Support Services, while Brigadier General IO Adewa is to remain in NA Properties Limited and appointed Acting General Managing Director.
Similarly, Brigadier General KA Kazir has been posted from Headquarters NA Engineers to Headquarters 43 Engineers Brigade as Commander, Brigadier General MU Abdullahi From NA Intelligence and Cyber Warfare School to 58 Signal Brigade and appointed Commander, Brigadier General MB Dala from NA Resource Centre to Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command Minna and appointed Director Exams.
Likewise, Brigadier General BR Sinjen has been redeployed from Headquarters NA Corps of Artillery to AHQ Department of Training and Operations as Acting Director of Operations, Brigadier General SI Igbinomwanhia from 7 Division Garrison Maiduguri to AHQ Department of Training and Operations and appointed Acting Director Campaign Plan, Brigadier General HG Tafida from AHQ Department of Logistics to NA School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and appointed Acting Commandant, Brigadier General AO Arogbofa from 102 Division Equipment Support to AHQ Department of Logistics as Acting Director Equipment Maintenance, Brigadier General EC Lot from Land Forces Simulation Centre Nigeria to Headquarters 52 Signal Brigade as Commander.
Others are – Colonel B Sarki from Defence Intelligence College to 6 Military Intelligence Brigade and appointed Acting Commander, Colonel KO Ogunsoya from DHQ to Headquarters Directorate of Army Public Relations and appointed Chief of Staff, Colonel TO Antigha from Headquarters Multinational Joint Task Force Ndjamena to Defence Headquarters and appointed Acting Executive Director Armed Forces Radio, Colonel MM Dole from Headquarters Directorate of Army Public Relations to Headquarters Multinational Joint Task Force Ndjamena and appointed Military Public Information Officer, Colonel AF Maimagani is to remain in Headquarters Directorate of Chaplain Services (Roman Catholic) as Acting Director Chaplain (Roman Catholic).
While wishing all the officers well in their respective appointments, the Chief of Army Staff enjoined them to take their new responsibilities and appointments seriously and discharge all duties professionally with utmost loyalty to the Nation and the Service.
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
As part of efforts to reposition the newspaper for optimum corporate performance, the management of Asset Newspapers Limited, Publishers of DAILY ASSET, has announced the appointment of David Torough as the Editor of the Abuja-based national daily.
A statement by the management said the appointments were part of the company’s new strategy to further penetrate the various states in the country and raise its readership and patronage.
“DAILY ASSET is widely acceptable across the country and to maintain our leadership position, we need to increase management presence, hence the need to create new Bureau offices in some locations outside Abuja and Lagos,” the statement quoted the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, Dr Cletus Akwaya to have said.
In a statement yesterday, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the fast-growing daily, Dr. Cletus Akwaya said the appointment was part of the new strategy to properly situate the paper for better productivity.
“DAILY ASSET has a commitment with the Nigerian people. We are determined to weather the storm and give Nigerian readers a Newspaper that satisfies their yearnings and reading pleasure and we can only do that with the right set of professionals,” the statement said.
Akwaya, a former Commissioner of Information from Benue State said the difficult times being faced by Nigerians posed a great challenge to the media as the people deserved credible information with which to make choices.
“We have a bond with the people, to offer credible information at all times in the best tradition of the Nigerian Press and on this scale of objectivity, truth and fairness, we pledge to remain steadfast no matter the challenges,” Akwaya was quoted to have said.
He said the newspaper will maiantin its daily print run and circulation to all states of the federation and urged advertisers to take advantage of the deep penetration of the Daily Asset brand to send their messages.
Torough, the new Editor has had a steady rise in the Newspaper in the last five years.
A graduate of Mass communication of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Torough joined the company in 2022 as Benue State Correspondent. He was spotted for his brilliance and redeployed to Abuja the following year and promoted to Deputy News Editor. He was subswuently named Deputy Editor of the paper, a position he held until the recent appointment.
Torough has attended several journalistic workshops and trainings to properly equip himself for the task ahead.
The statement also said the Management named Eze Okechukwu as Deputy Editor.
Before his elevation as Deputy Editor, Eze has been Deputy Politics Editor and DAILY ASSET Newspaper correspondent covering the Senate, having joined the organization in 2021.
Born on March 10, 1975, Eze holds a Masters Degree in Mass Communication from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Eze began his journalism career with Daily Star, Enugu and later worked with Daily Trust Newspaper, Abuja as sports reporter.
Aside from his journalistic excellence, he has a great deal of passion for sports.
From Ngutor Dekera, Kaduna and Aliyu Askira, Kano
Northern governors and traditional rulers yesterday called for the suspension of mining activities across the region for six months, blaming illegal mining for worsening insecurity in many states.The resolution was contained in a communiqué issued after a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
The meeting, chaired by the Gombe State Governor and NSGF Chairman, Muhammadu Yahaya, had in attendance the 19 northern governors and chairmen of the 19 states’ traditional councils. The Forum expressed concern over the escalating violence in parts of the North, including the killings and abductions recently recorded in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kano states, as well as renewed Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe.“The Forum extends its deepest condolences and solidarity to the governments and good people of the affected states,” the communiqué said, noting that the attacks on schoolchildren and other citizens had become “unacceptable tragedies” that required urgent collective action.It commended President Bola Tinubu for what it described as the Federal Government’s “firm response” to recent abductions and insurgency threats, especially the rescue of some abducted pupils.The governors also saluted security agencies for their sacrifices on the frontlines.“We resolved to renew our support for every step taken by the President and Commander-in-Chief to take the fight to insurgents’ enclaves in order to end the criminality,” the Forum stated.A major highlight of the meeting was the North’s renewed push for the establishment of state police, with governors and traditional rulers insisting that decentralised policing had become inevitable.“The Forum reaffirms its wholehearted support and commitment to the establishment of state police,” the communiqué added, urging federal and state lawmakers from the region to “expedite action for its actualisation.”On illegal mining, the governors said criminal mining networks were fuelling violence and providing resources for armed groups.As a corrective measure, they asked Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to impose a six-month suspension of mining activities in order to allow for a full audit and revalidation of licences.“The Forum observed that illegal mining has become a major contributory factor to the security crises in Northern Nigeria. “We strongly recommend a suspension of mining exploration for six months to allow proper audit and to arrest the menace of artisanal illegal mining,” it said.To strengthen the fight against insecurity, the governors also announced the creation of a regional Security Trust Fund.Under the proposed arrangement, each state and its local governments will contribute ₦1bn monthly, to be deducted at source under an agreed framework.They said the fund would help provide sustainable financing for joint operations, intelligence-driven interventions and coordinated security responses across the region.At the end of the meeting, the Forum reaffirmed its commitment to unity and collective responsibility.“Only through unity, peer review and cooperation can we overcome the pressing challenges before us,” it declared.The Forum agreed to reconvene on a date to be announced.Meanwhile, Nigeria’s worsening security crisis took a grim turn on Monday as bandits launched fresh attacks in Kano State, abducting 25 villagers, even as the Federal Government raced to secure the release of more than 300 Catholic school children kidnapped in Niger State.In the early hours of Monday, armed bandits invaded Unguwar Tsamiya—popularly called Dabawa—in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, whisking away nine men and two women after shooting into the air and assaulting residents. The attackers also rustled two cows.A resident lamented the community’s helplessness: “We cannot do otherwise; most of us cannot leave because we have nowhere to go. This is our place, our land and everything is here.”The assault came less than 24 hours after a similar attack on Yan Kamaye in Tsanyawa LGA, a community along the volatile Katsina border.In Niger State, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has assured distraught families of St. Mary’s Co-Education School, Kontagora that the more than 300 students and staff abducted on November 21 will return home “soon.” Ribadu, who led a high-level federal delegation to the school on Monday, said the abductees are safe, though he offered no specifics on their location or the status of rescue operations.According to Daniel Atori, spokesman for the Catholic bishop overseeing the school, the NSA reassured officials: “The children are where they are and will come back safely.”The St. Mary’s attack is part of a worrying resurgence of mass kidnappings reminiscent of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction. Security analysts warn that banditry has evolved into a “structured, profit-seeking industry,” with hundreds of Nigerians abducted in November alone.The Kontagora school abduction occurred the same week 25 girls were kidnapped in Kebbi State—victims who authorities say have since been rescued through “non-kinetic” means. About 50 of the St. Mary’s hostages have also managed to escape.Ribadu’s delegation, which included the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing the freedom of all abducted citizens.As communities from Kano to Niger continue to bear the brunt of these violent incursions, the escalating spate of kidnappings underscores the urgent national demand for a more decisive and coordinated security response.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said former Attorney‑General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, will face a team of interrogators at its office daily throughout December.A credible source in the EFCC said on Monday that the daily appearance was part of an ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of an alleged 490 million dollars Abacha loot secured through a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLAT) request.
The source said that Malami, who was summoned for interrogation by the EFCC on Saturday, was barred from leaving Nigeria for the next one month.According to the source, one of the conditions for his release on Saturday was that he should report daily to the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja for further interrogation.The source said Malami would have to appear daily at the anti-graft office due to the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him.”We seized his passport, it is the normal routine during investigation, but he has to report at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja every day for the next month.”He will be reporting for further investigation throughout December.”He will be reporting every day, starting from Dec. 1st to Dec. 31st.He will appear before the team of investigators for the entire month of December.”He will be reporting to EFCC for investigation for the period because of the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him,” the source added.According to the source, a fact sheet on the former minister revealed that Malami had several issues to clarify with the EFCC within the coming weeks.“We have asked him to explain the whereabouts of the $490 million Abacha loot secured through MLAT.“We didn’t say he stole money, but he should account for the loot. This is one of the issues he will clarify to our investigators.”The commission cited the large volume of documents he must review and the need for extensive interviews as reasons for seizing his passport.The source said EFCC would not engage in a war of words but would release its findings after a thorough investigation.Malami, in a statement by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, on Monday in Abuja, however, described the EFCC investigation as a political witch‑hunt.He confirmed he honored an EFCC invitation on Nov. 28, describing the engagement as fruitful and expressing confidence that the probe would vindicate him.Malami described the EFCC’s allegations as baseless, illogical and devoid of substance, insisting they collapse under factual scrutiny.
Joseph Undu Bags National Safety Personality Award in Lagos
ShareBy David Torough, Abuja Award-winning Nigerian journalist and security analyst, Joseph Saater Undu, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Safety...
FG Reaffirms Commitment to ACReSAL Project at Mid-Term Review in Kaduna
ShareBy David Torough, Abuja The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has reaffirmed its commitment to the successful implementation...
Mutfwang Holds Close Door with Former State Governors
ShareFrom Jude Dangwam, Jos Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang has convened a strategic meeting with former governors of the state towards addressing the security challenges bedevilling the state. The meeting held...
Lobi Stars Trim Squad to Push for Promotion
ShareThe Nigerian National League (NNL) side, Lobi Stars Football Club of Makurdi, has trimmed its squad and retained a few quality players to push for promotion to the...
Pope Criticises ‘Tyrants’ Who Spend Billions on Wars after Trump Spat
SharePope Leo has criticised leaders who spend billions on wars and said the world was “being ravaged by a handful of tyrants” in unusually forceful comments during a...
Nigerian Men Scared of Bold, Confident Women, Phyna Claims
ShareFormer Big Brother Naija winner, Josephine Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has claimed that she is still single because Nigerian...
Residents Decry Persistent Power Outage in Abuja Community
ShareBy Raphael Atuu, Abuja Residents of Waru District in Apo, within Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, are raising the alarm over what they...
2027: Tinubu Meets Coordinators, Renews Plea for Unity, Rule of Law
ShareBy David Torough, Abuja President Bola Tinubu has called for unity, resilience and renewed commitment to nation-building, urging Nigerians to...
Gunmen Abduct 14 UTME Candidates in Benue Enroute Exams Centre
ShareFrom Attah Ede, Makurdi A wave of concern has trailed the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) nationwide following the...
Army Honours Fallen Heroes as Brig. Gen. Braimah, Others Laid to Rest in Maiduguri
ShareFrom Muhammad Muhammad Al-amin, Maiduguri The Nigerian Army has conducted a solemn burial ceremony for Brigadier General Oseni Braimah, Captain...