By Olayemi Esan
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, has approved the appointment of new Branch Chiefs, Air Officers Commanding (AOCs), Commandants of tri-Service and NAF institutions as well as Unit Commanders.
In a statement, NAF Spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet said Postings and redeployments are military routine exercises intended to reinvigorate the Services for greater performance, enhanced productivity, operational efficiency, and effective service delivery.
The statement also said many of Air Force’s branches nationwide were rejigged.
The shakeup is coming about one month after the promotion of some senior officers in the Nigerian Air Force.
Among the newly appointed Branch Chiefs are Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Ayoola Jolasinmi, erstwhile Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Air Training Command (ATC), Kaduna who is now the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans (CDPP) at Defence Headquarters (DHQ), former Chief of Aircraft Engineering at Headquarters NAF (HQ NAF), AVM Musa Muktar moves to DHQ as Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation, (CDTI).
In addition, former AOC Logistics Command (LC), Ikeja, AVM Charles Ohwo is now the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP), HQ NAF, Abuja, AVM Jackson Yusuf, former AOC Special Operations Command (SOC), Bauchi is now appointed Chief of Training and Operations (CTOP), HQ NAF, while AVM Abubakar Liman heads the Air Intelligence Branch as the Chief of Air Intelligence, HQ NAF.
Also appointed are AVM Emmanuel Wonah, former Managing Director NAF Investments Limited (NAFIL) as Chief of Aircraft Engineering (CAcE), HQ NAF, AVM Raimi Salami is now redeployed as the Chief of Communications Information Systems (CCIS) HQ NAF, while AVM Olatokunbo Adesanya has been appointed as Chief of Logistics (CLOG), HQ NAF.
Furthermore, AVM Aliyu Bello, erstwhile AOC Mobility Command (MC), Yenagoa is now the Chief of Standards and Evaluation (COSE), HQ NAF, AVM Nelson Calmday is to take over as the Chief of Administration (COA), HQ NAF and AVM Paul Jemitola is now the Air Secretary, HQ NAF.
Gabkwet added that, former Commander 081 Pay and Accounting Group, Ikeja, AVM John Ochomma is now the Chief of Accounts and Budget (CAB), HQ NAF, AVM Idi Lubo, erstwhile AOC Tactical Air Command (TAC) proceeds to Lagos as Commandant Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (AFRC), AVM Anthony Tuwase takes over as the Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji while former AOC Ground Training Command (GTC), Enugu, AVM Mohammed Yakubu is the new Commandant of Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna just as AVM Sayo Olatunde is now the Commandant Air Force War College (AFWC), Makurdi.
He noted that the newly appointed AOCs are AVM Abraham Adole, AOC TAC, Makurdi, AVM Tajudeen Yusuf, AOC SOC, Bauchi, AVM Iboro Etukudo, AOC MC, Yenagoa, AVM Nanjul Kumzhi, AOC ATC, Kaduna, while the former Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, AVM Ibikunle Daramola is now the AOC, GTC, Enugu and AVM Hassan Abubakar who is now the AOC LC, Ikeja.
Also appointed are AVM Emmanuel Eze as the Group Managing Director NAF Holding Company, Air Commodore Esen Efanga now the Commander Air Task Force Operation HADIN KAI while Group Captain Dogari Apyeyak is now the Air Component Commander, Operation Thunder Strike.
While congratulating the new appointees, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, charged them to continually task and explore their critical thinking mindsets towards proffering workable solutions and strategies to be deployed against the various security challenges in the Country.
This, the CAS noted, is imperative particularly at this period that the NAF, in tandem with sister Services and other security agencies, are consolidating on the gains being recorded against all forms of criminality in the Country.
It also said the newly-appointed and redeployed senior officers are expected to assume their new offices on or before Friday, 7 January 2022.
