Abuja – President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved the appointments of new Service Chiefs with Maj.-Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin as Chief of Defence Staff and Maj.-Gen. T.Y. Buratai as Chief of Army Staff.
This is contain in a statement issued in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina.
The statement said Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas was appointed as Chief of Naval Staff and Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar as Chief of Air Staff
It also said that Air Vice Marshal Morgan Monday Riku was appointed as Chief of Defence Intelligence and retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno as National Security Adviser (NSA).
The new Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen. Olonisakin (N/6901) hails from Ekiti State.
Until his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff, he was the Head of the Nigerian Army Training and Doctrine Command, Minna, Niger.
Similarly, the new Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Buratai hails from Borno.
He was the Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force, which has its headquarters in Ndjamena.
Maj-Gen. Buratai has served as Commander of the Nigerian Army, 2nd Brigade in Port Harcourt and Commander of the Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji, Kaduna State.
The new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibas (N0746) hails from Cross River.
He enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 26th Regular Course in 1979 and commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant in 1983.
His previous appointments include Naval Provost Marshall, Chief Staff Officer, Naval Training Command, Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters, Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command and Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters.
Until his appointment as Chief of Naval Staff, Ibas was the Chief Executive Officer of Navy Holdings Limited.
Also, the new Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Abubakar (NAF 1433) hails from Bauchi State.
His previous appointments include Chief of Standards and Evaluation, NAF Headquarters; Chief of Defence Communications and Air Officer Commanding, NAF Training Command.
The Chief of Air Staff was until his appointment the Chief of Administration, NAF Headquarters.
The statement said the new Service Chiefs would hold their appointments in an acting capacity until confirmed by the Senate.
