Gen. Minimah named Army chief
Badeh is CDS, Jibrin heads Navy, Amosu heads Air Force
President Goodluck Jonathan has replaced all the military chiefs in sweeping changes at the top of the Nigerian armed forces announced yesterday.
He named Air Marshal Alex Badeh as Chief of Defence Staff after removing Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim from the post.
Major-General Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah has, as predicted by Daily Trust, replaced Lieutenant-General Azubike O. Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff.
Daily Trust exclusively reported in January last year that Major-General Minimah
was being groomed for that post (see the full story reproduced on this page).
Further details on the changes show that Rear Admiral Usman O. Jibrin has replaced Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba as Chief of Naval Staff while Air Vice Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu takes over from Air Marshal Badeh as Chief of Air Staff.
A statement from presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said the president had already briefed the leadership of the National Assembly on the new appointments and sought for their formal confirmation.
The full text of the statement reads: “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria approved the following changes in the nation’s Military High Command: Air Marshal Alex Badeh takes over from Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim as Chief of Defence Staff; MajorGeneral Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah takes over from Lt.General Azubike O. Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Usman O. Jibrin takes over from Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba as Chief of Naval Staff; and Air Vice Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu takes over from Air Marshal Badeh as Chief of Air Staff.
“All the changes are with immediate effect.
“The new Chief of Defence Staff and former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Badeh, was born on January 10, 1957 and joined the Air Force as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 21 Regular Course while the new Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Minimah was born on July 27, 1959 and joined the Army as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 25 Regular Course. Until his new appointment, Major-General Minimah was the Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps, Jaji.
“The new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin was born on September 16, 1959 and joined the Navy as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 24 Regular Course. Until his appointment as Chief of Naval Staff, he was Director of Training at Defence Headquarters.
“The new Chief of Air Staff and immediate past Commander of the Presidential Air Fleet, Air Vice Marshal Amosu, was born on August 1, 1958 and joined the Air Force as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 25 Regular Course. Until his new appointment, Air Vice Marshal Amosu was the Air Officer Commanding, Tactical Air Command, Makurdi.
“President Jonathan has briefed the leadership of the National Assembly on the appointment of the new service chiefs and will, in keeping with the provisions of the law, request the National Assembly to formally confirm the appointments when it reconvenes.”
The president’s decision to equally announce that he had notified the legislative arm of the changes was apparently to avoid the controversies that followed his previous appointment of the service chiefs which was challenged in court by legal activist Festus Keyamo.
The court had ruled in favour of Mr Keyamo declaring the previous appointments as “null and void”.
In a statement issued yesterday, Keyamo said the sacking of the service chiefs and appointment of new ones had vindicated him.
He said: “Today’s (yesterday’s) announcement of the removal of the Service Chiefs by President Goodluck Jonathan in compliance with the judgment of the Federal High Court in the case of Festus Keyamo Vs. President and 4 others (which declared the previous appointments null and void) is a welcome development”.
Similarly, he said, “the appointments of the new Service Chiefs that have just been made subject to the confirmation of the National Assembly (in compliance with the judgment) is also commendable.
“The rule of law is the cornerstone upon which we must build our constitutional democracy and it is only such strict compliance with the judgments of courts that will guarantee the stability of our democracy.”