Buhari makes best choices in Service Chiefs appointments – Minister

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said that President Muhammadu Buhari made the best choices in the appointment of the new Service Chiefs.

The Minister stated this in Abuja while speaking with our reporter on the gains of the fight against insecurity and other security issues.

He noted that the choice of appointment of service chiefs is the exclusive priority of the President who has information about their competences and capabilities.

“Based on available information at our disposal, the President has made the best choices.

“These men are not new to the theatres of conflict, almost all of them have served in one capacity or the other in the theatre.

“Having served in the theatres of conflict, it will make their jobs easier.

“They are not starting afresh and we hope that they will take off from where their predecessors stopped,” he said.

The minister called on Nigerians to give the new service chiefs the support that they needed to embark on their new journey.

He also thanked the former service chiefs for their contributions to fighting insecurity in the country

It was reported that the President on Tuesday replaced the country’s military chiefs with new appointees.

The new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor from Agbor, Delta State is a trained engineer, who has worked as Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) of the Nigerian Army, Minna.

He was also the Chief of Training and Operations (CTOP) Defence Headquarters and theatre Commander Operation Lafiya Dole.

Irabor was also the Field Commander for the Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the Chief of Staff to the outgone Chief of Army Staff before his appointment

The new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru from Kaduna State is the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu before his appointment.

Attahiru was at a time, the Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole until he was removed in 2017 for alleged incompetence.

The new Chief of Air Force, AVM Isiaka Amao joined the Nigerian Air Force in 1984, and was commissioned as Pilot Officer in 1986.

He is a fighter pilot and until his new appointment, the Air Officer Commanding, Tactical Air Command (TAC).

Amao also served in the North East as Air Component Commander of operation ZAMAN LAFIYA / LAFIYA DOLE (North East operation) from 2015 to 2016.

The new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Auwal Gambo, from Kano State joined the Nigerian Navy in 1984 as a member of Regular Course 36 and was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant in 1988.

He is an Underwater Warfare specialist with a sub-specialisation in Intelligence.

Until his appointment, he was the Director of Procurement at the Defence Space Administration.