The Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday appointed new Service Chiefs following the resignation of the former officers.
Below are the new Service Chiefs and their brief profile;
Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo (Chief of Naval Staff)
Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo was born on 22 April, 1966 and hails from Nasarawa LGA in Kano State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Navy on 24 September, 1984 as a member of Regular Course 36 and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on 24 September,1988.
He is an Underwater Warfare specialist with a sub-specialisation in Intelligence. The senior officer has attended several military courses which include, Sub-Technical course and Officers Long course both at NNS QUORRA. He also attended Junior Division 48/89 and Senior Course 26 both at AFCSC Jaji.
Other courses attended include the National Defence Course at the South African National Defence College. Until his recent appointment as the CNS, he was the Director of Procurement at the Defence Space Administration.
Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, replaces Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas who served as Chief of Naval Staff since July 2015.
Major General Ibrahim Attahiru (Chief of Army Staff)![]()
Major General Ibrahim Attahiru, with Army Number 8406, was born on August 10, 1966. He is from Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State North West Nigeria and a member of the Regular Course 35 of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Before his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff, he was the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu and a former Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole.
Major General Ibrahim Attahiru was appointed to lead the offensive against Boko Haram in the North-East in May 2017 by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai.
Following his appointment as the Theatre Commander, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, he led the operation for seven months, and one of his Major achievements along side Sector Commanders and all troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE was the elimination of 5 key leaders of the terrorists group that were the closest associates and right hand men of the terrorists group leader.
Within the same period 82 of the Boko Haram terrorists were also eliminated in pursuance of the COAS directive of capturing the Boko Haram terrorists leader, Abubakar Shekau dead or alive within 40 days. He was later redeployed to Army headquarters as the Deputy Chief of Policy and Plans. He also was one time Director of Administration, Defence Headquarters, Chief of Logistics at Army headquarters in Abuja, Commander of the Special Security Task Force in Jos and General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Enugu.
He replaces Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai who had served in that office since July 2015.
Major General Lucky Eluonye Onyenuchea (LEO) Irabor (Chief of Defence Staff)
Major-General Lucky Irabor was born on 5 October, 1965 in Aliokpu Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. The Senior officer gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna as a member of the 34 Regular Course in 1983 and was commissioned Second Lieutenant on 28 June 1986 into the Signals Corps of the Nigerian Army.
Major General Irabor attended several military and civil courses both locally and abroad.
He is a trained Engineer from Obafemi Awolowo University and holds two Masters degrees from the University of Ghana, Accra, and Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka.
A one-time Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole, Major-General Irabor later took over as the Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). Major General Irabor was responsible for the capture of Alargano Forest – the claimed spiritual base of Boko Haram Terrorists. He also planned and executed the conduct of Operations CRACK DOWN 1 and 2, RESCUE FINALE and DEEP PUNCH which led to the clearance of SAMBISA FOREST, destruction of BHT camps and enclaves, capture of several weapons, vehicles and equipment belonging to BHT as well as rescued well over 20,000 civilians abducted by BHT, including 2 Chibok Girls. Furthermore, the impact of the operations he conducted forced the BHT to release a total of 103 Chibok Girls in two instances. His sterling qualities have won him several commendations as well as his appointment as Force Commander Multi-National Joint Task Force. Until his appointment as the Chief of Defence Staff, he was the Commander, Training and Doctrine Command of the Nigerian Army.
He replaces General Abayomi Olonisakin who served as Chief of Defence Staff since July 2015.
AVM Isiaka Amao (Chief of Air Staff)
Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao, was born on 14 September, 1965 in Enugu State. He hails from Oshogbo in LGA of Osun State.
He enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force on January 19, 1984 as a member of the 35 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
He had previously served as Trainee/Squadron Pilot, NAF Unit 99 ACTG Kainji (1993-2004), Instructor Pilot/Squadron Pilot, 301 FTS Kaduna (2004-2007), Air Assistance to Chief of Air Staff, Deputy Defence Adviser, Nigerian High Commission London, Assistant Director of Operation Defence Headquarters, Director of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Air Force.
Until his appointment as the Chief of Air Staff by the President, Muhammadu Buhari, AVM I. O Amao was the Commandant Armed Forces Resettlement Centre Lagos.
After several years in service, he replaces Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar who has served as Chief of Air Staff since July 2015.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
