COAS Orders Redeployment of Top Generals in Major Army Shake-up

•NAF moves to end killing of civilians during air operations

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, yesterday approved the posting and appointment of some senior officers to key command, instructional, and staff positions across various formations and units of the Nigerian Army.

The redeployment encompassed a few Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) at the Army Headquarters (AHQ), two General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Corps Commanders, Commandants of training institutions, and Brigade Commanders, among other appointments critical to the Nigerian Army’s operational and administrative structure.

A statement by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Appolonia Anele, said the redeployment was part of the COAS’ strategic move to strengthen leadership and reposition the Nigerian Army  for greater operational effectiveness.

She stated that some of the senior officers appointed as Principal Staff Officers at the Army Headquarters included: Maj Gen AA Adeyinka who was posted from Nigerian Army Corp of Supply and Transport (NACST) to the Department of Army Logistics and  appointed Chief of Logistics (Army).

Also, Maj. Gen. AA Adekeye was posted from AHQ Department of Standard and Evaluation to AHQ Department of Personnel Management as Chief of Personnel Management (Army), while Maj. Gen. TB Ugiagbe was posted from Headquarters  Nigerian Army Intelligence Corp  to Army Headquarters Department of Standard and Evaluation and appointed Chief of Standard and Evaluation.

“Others are Maj Gen AA Idris from Defence Headquarters to the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps and appointed Chief of Military Intelligence (Army), Maj Gen MO Erebulu from the Department of Special Services and Programmes to the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police and appointed Provost Marshall (Army).

“Furthermore, Maj Gen EA Anaryu from Defence Space Administration has been redeployed and  appointed Corps Commander Supply and Transport while Maj Gen SA Akesode from Office of the National Security Adviser (is posted) to African Union Verification Mission in Tigray Region, Ethiopia as Head of Mission, while Maj Gen JE Osifo from Nigerian Army School of Finance and Accounts (is posted) to Nigerian Army Finance Corporation as Director General,” Anele said.

She stated that senior officers appointed as General Officers Commanding (GOCs) are Major General ASM Wase from  Department of Training to Headquarters 1 Division/Sector 1 Joint Task Force North West  Operation Fansan Yamma (OPFY) as GOC 1 Division/Commander Sector 1,  Maj Gen CR Nnebeife is also appointed as the General Officer Commanding 2 Division/ Sector 3 Joint Task Force  OPFY.

“Some of the senior officers appointed as Commandants of NA Training Institutions are, Maj Gen MO Ihanuwaze from Nigerian Army Finance Insurance Corporation  to Nigerian Army Finance School and Administration and appointed Commandant,  Maj Gen KO Osemwegie now the commandant  Army Signal School,  Maj Gen AJ Aliyu also appointed commandant Nigerian Army Ordinance School, while Maj Gen AC Adetoba was posted from the  Department of Transformation and Innovation to Nigerian Army College of Logistics and Management as commandant amongst others.

“Other senior officers also  affected in the redeployment are Brig Gen M Jimoh from HQ Operation Fansan Yamma to HQ 1 Brigade as Commander, Brig Gen NE Okoloagu from Army War College Nigeria to  2 Brigade as Commander as well as Brig Gen AA Bello from Nigerian Army School of Infantry to 6 Division Garrison/Sector 3 JTF South South Operation Delta Safe as Commander,” she added.

The COAS charged the newly appointed senior officers to redouble their efforts and commitment to duty in ensuring the sustenance of the ongoing onslaught against terrorism, insurgency, and other threats to national security as they assume their new appointments.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday stated it had completed an intensive five-day Civilian Harm Mitigation (CHM) in Air Operations course for the first batch of specially selected officers. It said this reaffirms its strong commitment to safeguarding civilians in conflict zones.

A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore, Ehimen Ejodame, said the programme brought together a cross-section of NAF personnel, including pilots, unmanned aerial vehicle operators, armament specialists, legal officers, and public relations experts, underscoring the belief that protecting civilians requires a coordinated, multi-disciplinary approach.

He noted that the training, which was hosted by the Air Warfare and Doctrine Centre (AWDC), Abuja, represents another decisive step in embedding civilian protection as a core pillar of NAF’s operational doctrine.

He said: “Directed by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, and coordinated through the Civil-Military Relations Branch, the programme reflects the Service’s unwavering resolve to ensure that precision, legality, and humanity remain at the heart of every mission.

“The CHM course, scheduled to run in three batches of about 30 officers each from 11 August to 5 September 2025, is delivered in partnership with Conflict, Security and Development Consult Limited.

“During the training sessions for the first batch, officers underwent a rigorous curriculum covering International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in the context of Nigerian air operations, precision selection of ordnance to minimise collateral damage, the application of Rules of Engagement, Positive Target Identification Methods, targeting categorisation, the No-Strike List (NSL), and the Sensitive Target Approval and Review (STAR) process. Practical modules also addressed advanced protocols for engaging sensitive targets under operational pressure.”

NAF described the initiative as a natural extension of its Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP), inaugurated earlier in the year.

Abubakar was quoted as saying: “From the very beginning of my tenure, I made it clear that protecting civilians is not just a moral duty; it is a professional imperative. The CHMR-AP was our blueprint to institutionalise this principle, ensuring that every commander, crew, and analyst is trained to apply the highest standards of humanitarian consideration in mission planning and execution.”

The CAS noted that the CHMR-AP has already yielded measurable results, with a marked reduction in collateral damage incidents in recent months, despite the sustained tempo of air operations.

“We have seen the difference that deliberate planning, real-time intelligence, and strict targeting protocols can make. This training takes those lessons further, giving our officers the tools, judgement, and mindset to protect innocent lives even in the most complex operational environments,” he stated.

The Chief of Civil-Military Relations, Air Vice Marshal Ibikunle Daramola, represented by a director, noted that the NAF’s approach went beyond mere compliance with international law, framing civilian protection as a strategic advantage.

 “When communities see that we take extraordinary measures to keep them safe, we build trust. That trust is a force multiplier; it strengthens intelligence sharing and isolates hostile actors. Protecting civilians is not only the right thing to do; it is the smart thing to do,” he emphasised.