Major shake-up in Navy; new Flag Officers and Principal Staff Officers appointed

The Nigerian Navy on Wednesday effected a major shake up in its hierarchy with the appointment of New Flag Officers Commanding its Commands and new Principal Staff Officers.

A total of 54 Rear Admirals were affected in the postings and the huge number may not be unconnected with the recent retirement of Course 36 Regular Officers from the Navy as approved by the federal government and the recent promotion of senior officers in the Service. 

The senior officers appointed Flag Officers Commanding by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo  include Rear Admiral Ibrahim Dewu who is now Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command. He was formerly the Managing Director 

Nigerian Navy Hotels and Suites Limited.

Rear Admiral Yakubu Wambai, formerly the Director of Operations Naval Headquarters is the new Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command while Rear Admiral Akinga Ayafa is the new Flag Officer Commanding Naval Doctrine Command.

A statement by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Suleman Dahun said, “In the postings, Rear Admiral Saidu Garba, formerly the Navy Secretary, has been appointed Chief of Policy and Plans, Naval Headquarters, while Rear Admiral Barabutemegha Gbassa, formerly Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command is now the Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters. 

“Rear Admiral Sanusi Ibrahim, formerly Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, moves to Naval Headquarters as Navy Secretary, while Rear Admiral Sileranda Lassa, formerly Flag Officer Commanding Logistics Command, has been appointed Group Managing Director, Navy Holdings Limited.

“Rear Admiral Muhammed Nagenu, erstwhile Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters has been appointed Chief of Defence Administration at the Defence Headquarters and Rear Admiral Solomon Agada, formerly Director Peacekeeping Operations, Naval Headquarters is now appointed Chief of Training and Operations.

“The postings also affected Rear Admiral Murtala Bashir who moves from Naval War College as Commandant to National Defence College also as Commandant, while Rear Admiral Adeseye Ayobanjo, formerly Director Maritime Domain Awareness at the Naval Headquarters will resume as Chief of Defence Civil Military Cooperation, Defence Headquarters. 

“Similarly, Rear Admiral Okon Eyo, former Director of Training, Defence Headquarters has been appointed Chief of Naval Transformation, Naval Headquarters while Rear Admiral Perry Onwuzulike, formerly Director Lessons Learnt, Naval Headquarters is now the Chief of Naval Safety and Standards, Naval Headquarters. 

“Additionally, Rear Admiral Joseph Akpan, formerly Director Personnel Release is reappointed at the Naval Headquarters as Director of Policy, while 

“Rear Admiral Tanko Pani, former Admiral Superintendent Naval Ordnance Depot has also been appointed Director of Plans, Defence Headquarters. Rear Admiral Akinga Ayafa, formerly Chief of Naval Safety and Standards resumes as Flag Officer Commanding Naval Doctrine Command, while Rear Admiral Nuhu Bala is reappointed at the Defence Headquarters as Director of Transformation. 

“Rear Admiral Vincent Okeke, former Director Transformation, Naval Headquarters moves to the Defence Headquarters as Director of Logistics, while Rear Admiral Danjuma Moses also resumes at the Defence Headquarters as Director of Training. 

“The reorganisation also affected Rear Admiral Yakubu Wambai, formerly the Director of Operations Naval Headquarters who is now appointed Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command and Rear Admiral Emmanuel Beckley resumes as Admiral Superintendent Naval Ordnance Depot. 

“Rear Admiral Ibrahim Dewu has been moved from Navy Hotels and Suites Limited where he was Managing Director to Eastern Naval Command as Flag Officer Commanding, while Rear Admiral Nnamdi Muogilim has been reappointed to the Defence Headquarters as Chief of Defence Space Administration. 

“Rear Admiral Idi Abbas who was Chief Staff Officer, Central Naval Command is now reappointed as the Flag Officer Commanding, while Rear Admiral Mohammed Abdullahi former Commander Naval Drafting has been appointed to Navy Hotels and Suites Limited as Managing Director. 

“Rear Admiral Samson Bura, formerly Director of Air Operations, Naval Headquarters resumes at the Western Fleet as Fleet Commander. 

“Rear Admiral Olusola Oluwagbire moves from Eastern Naval Command to Naval Headquarters as Director of Operations, while Rear Admiral Mustapha Hassan, formerly Chief Staff Officer, Logistics Command takes over as Deputy Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.

“Similarly, Rear Admiral Baratuaipri Iyalla, formerly Managing Director, Naval Engineering Services Limited is now Chief Staff Officer Logistics Command, while Rear Admiral Kohath Levi who was Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard Limited has been appointed as Chief Staff Officer, Naval Doctrine Command.

“Rear Admiral Patrick Nwatu, erstwhile Deputy Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College resumes at Naval Headquarters as Director of Plans.

“Rear Admiral Habila Zakaria, formerly Chief Staff Officer, Western Naval Command takes over as Commander Command Naval Drafting. Rear Admiral Zakariyya Muhammed has been reappointed as Director of Training, Naval Headquarters, while Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shettima moves to Naval Headquarters as Chief of Logistics. 

“Rear Admiral Abdulmajid Ibrahim, formerly a Director at Defence Headquarters has been appointed Director Peacekeeping Operations, Naval Headquarters, while Rear Admiral Uduak Ibanga, formerly Director Project Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation, Naval Headquarters resumes at Naval Building and Construction Company Limited as Managing Director. 

“Rear Admiral Kennedy Egbuchulam who was the Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command has been appointed as Director of Administration, Naval Headquarters, while Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande, the former Principal Staff Officer to Chief of the Naval Staff is the new Commandant, Naval War College, Nigeria.

“Furthermore, Rear Admiral Umar Chugali who was the Commandant, Nigerian Navy Provost and Regulating School, Makurdi has been redeployed to Defence Headquarters as Director Cyber Security, while Rear Admiral Eugenio Ferreira, formerly Deputy Director Career Planning, Naval Headquarters is reappointed as the Director Manning. 

“Rear Admiral Bashir Mohammed, former Commander Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft has been appointed to Naval Headquarters as Director Project Implementation and Monitoring Evaluation, while Rear Admiral Mike Oamen, the immediate past Commandant, Defence Intelligence College is the new Chief Staff Officer, Eastern Naval Command. 

“Rear Admiral Abolaji Orederu, formerly a Director at the National Defence College moves to Naval Headquarters as Director of Ships Design and Acquisition, while Rear Admiral Livingstone Izu, erstwhile Fleet Commander, Eastern Fleet has been appointed as Director of Procurement, Naval Headquarters. 

“Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, formerly Director Audit, Naval Headquarters has been reappointed as Director Lessons Learnt, while Rear Admiral Alexander Bingel, formerly Commander Naval Base Lake Chad takes over as Director of Combat Policy and Tactics and Coordinator NIMASA deep Blue, Naval Headquarters. 

“Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed former Commander Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder is the new Chief Staff Officer Naval training Command, while Rear Admiral Hamza Ibrahim, the immediate past Commodore Superintendent, Naval Shipyard Limited resumes as Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard Limited. 

“Rear Admiral Sunday Oyegade, erstwhile Director Marine Engineering, Naval Headquarters has also been appointed as Admiral Superintendent Naval Shipyard Limited.

“The new postings also redeployed Rear Admiral John Mamman, formerly Maritime Component Commander, Operation Delta Safe moves to Naval Headquarters as Director of Recruitment, Reserve and Resettlement, while Rear Admiral Peter Zakaria has been appointed to the Naval Headquarters as Director of Armament.

“Rear Admiral Chubuike Azike is reappointed at the Defence Headquarters as Director of Education, while Rear Admiral Ismaila Zelani, formerly Director of Sports, Naval Headquarters is reappointed as Director of Veterans Affairs. 

“Rear Admiral Kennedy Ezete, erstwhile Naval Provost Marshal is now the Director of Transformation, Naval Headquarters, while Rear Admiral Hamza Kaoje formally the Director Marine services, Lagos takes over as Chief Staff Officer, Western Naval Command.” (Vanguard)