Jonathan Appoints New Service Chiefs
The change was expected, seniority was a benchmark for the change and Goodluck Jonathan did not disappoint, when he elevated Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim, the most senior service chief to the position of chief of defence staff.
Huhuonline.com understands that President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday announced a major shakeup in the hierarchy of the Nigerian Armed Forces, retiring the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin and promoting the incumbent Chief of Naval staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim to the position of Chief of Defence Staff, CDS.
Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim was appointed chief of Naval Staff in 2010.He is the second Nigerian Naval Personnel to hold the position of Chief of Defence Staff, after Admiral Ibrahim Ogohi.
Other announcements, include the appointments of Rear Admiral D.J. Ezeoba as the new Chief of Naval Staff. Until his appointment, Rear Admiral Ezeoba was the Deputy Commandant Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.
Furthermore, the presidency announced the retirement of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Umar and the appointment of Air Vice Marshal Alex Shabundu Badeh as the Chief of Air Staff.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika retained his position having survived the purge that started with the sack of the former Defence Minister Dr. Mohammed Bello Haliru and the National Security Adviser General Andrew Azazi in May this year.
Ibrahim:
The new Chief of Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim was born on 15 June 1955. A graduate of the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna and the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, he trained with the Royal and Indian navies. Vice Admiral Ibrahim is a Navigation and Direction Specialist. He holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Ahmadu Bello University. He was at the Royal College of Defence Studies, UK as a member in 2002, where he, in addition obtained a Masters Degree from the Department of War Studies and Public Policy at the Kings College, University of London.
Admiral Ibrahim had tours of duty on Nigerian Naval Ships in various capacities and is decorated with the Command of Sea Badge for successful command at Sea on various Nigerian Naval Ships. He was a Directing Staff and a Chief Instructor at the Department of Maritime Warfare, Armed forces Command and Staff College, Jaji. He was Secretary to the Chief of the Naval Staff before being appointed to command the naval operations base, Nigerian Naval Ship BEECROFT in 2001.
In 2003, Admiral Ibrahim served as Commander Naval Task Group. Operation HARMONY in the Eastern Naval command, Calabar before he went to the National Defence College Nigeria as a Directing Staff later same year. He left the National Defence College for the Naval Headquarters as Navy Secretary in August 2005. He returned to the College as Director Curriculum and Programmes Development in May 2006. It was from this appointment that he headed back to the Naval Headquarters as Chief of Administration and subsequently Chief of Training and Operations. In February 2009, he was appointed Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, the appointment he held till his elevation as the Chief of the Naval Staff on 8 September 2010. He was subsequently elevated to the position of Chief of Defence Staff on 4 Oct 12.
Vice Admiral Ibrahim is decorated with the Distinguished Service Star (DSS) and the Golden Jubilee Medal. He is happily married with children and his hobbies include jogging, reading, photography and dialectics.
Ezeoba
The new Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba was born on 25 July 1958 in Jos, Plateau State although he hails from Ibusa in Oshimili- North Local Government Area of Delta State. A graduate of the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna Regular Course 22 and the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, he trained at various times with the United States, Royal and Indian navies. Rear Admiral Dele Joseph is a Navigation and Direction Specialist and holds a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan.
Rear Admiral Ezeoba has had tours of duty onboard several Nigerian Naval Ships in various capacities and successfully commanded different classes of Nigerian Naval Ships including the nation's flagship, Nigerian Naval Ship ARADU. He was a Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji and the National Defence College, Abuja. He would later return to the Defence College as Director Curriculum and Programmes Development.
Rear Admiral DJ Ezeoba also served as the Director of Operations and later as the Chief of Training and Operations at the Naval Headquarters. It was from this appointment that he was appointed as the Deputy Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji. Thereafter, he was appointed as the Chief of Administration at the Defence Headquarters, the appointment he held till his elevation to the present appointment of the Chief of the Naval Staff on 4 October 2012.
Rear Admiral Ezeoba is fluent in various languages including, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo. He is a member Royal Institute of Navigation and the US Naval Institute. He is decorated with the Distinguished Service Star (DSS) and the Golden Jubilee Medal. He is happily married to Vivian Ifeyinwa Ezeoba and the family is blessed with children. His hobbies include reading, golf and football.
Rear Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba was born on 25 July 1958 in Jos, Plateau State although he hails from Ibusa in Oshimili- North Local Government Area of Delta State. A graduate of the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna Regular Course 22 and the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, he trained at various times with the United States, Royal and Indian navies. Rear Admiral Dele Joseph is a Navigation and Direction Specialist and holds a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan.
Rear Admiral Ezeoba has had tours of duty onboard several Nigerian Naval Ships in various capacities and successfully commanded different classes of Nigerian Naval Ships including the nation's flagship, Nigerian Naval Ship ARADU. He was a Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji and the National Defence College, Abuja. He would later return to the Defence College as Director Curriculum and Programmes Development.
Rear Admiral DJ Ezeoba also served as the Director of Operations and later as the Chief of Training and Operations at the Naval Headquarters. It was from this appointment that he was appointed as the Deputy Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji. Thereafter, he was appointed as the Chief of Administration at the Defence Headquarters, the appointment he held till his elevation to the present appointment of the Chief of the Naval Staff on 4 October 2012.
Rear Admiral Ezeoba is fluent in various languages including, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo. He is a member Royal Institute of Navigation and the US Naval Institute. He is decorated with the Distinguished Service Star (DSS) and the Golden Jubilee Medal. He is happily married to Vivian Ifeyinwa Ezeoba and the family is blessed with children. His hobbies include reading, golf and football.
Badeh:
The new Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh was born in Vimtim, Mubi North Local Government Area, Adamawa State on 10 January 1957. He attended the Villanova Secondary School, Numan, Adamawa State, where he obtained School Certificate in June 1976. He was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 21 Regular Course on 3 January 1977, and was commissioned pilot officer on on 3 July 1979. He was promoted Air Vice Marshal on 3 January 2008.
He started his flying career at the 301 Flying Training School on the Bulldog Primary Trainer aircraft in 1979. Between 1981 and 82, he attended the Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base in the United States Air Force.
AVM Badeh attended the Junior Division course at Armed Forces Command and Staff College in 1988, and the senior division course at same institution between 1995 and 1996. He attended the National War College Nigeria as a member of Course 14 and graduated in August 2006. He was at the University of Ibadan for MSc in Strategic Studies.
AVM Badeh has held several appointments, among which are Staff Officer 2 Operations at Training Command, CO Administration, Operations Support and Operations Wings, and then the office of Fleet Operations Officer all in the Presidential Air Fleet and then Commander Presidential Air Fleet from June 2002 to 25 October 2004. He also held the offices of Command Training officer at Training Command, Deputy Director Training and Director of Research at the Defence HQ. AVM Badeh was a Directing Staff and Director National Military Strategy at the National Defence College. The senior officer is a Qualified Flying Instructor and has accumulated over 6000 flying hours on the Bulldog 123, Do 128-6, Do 228, Hawker 125, Hawker 1000, Falcon 900 and Gulfstream 5 airplanes. AVM Badeh has extensive International Flight Operations experience. Until his appointment as Chief of the Air Staff, he was the Air Officer Commanding Training Command, Kaduna. His decorations are DSS, psc, fdc (+), MSc. AVM Badeh is happily married to Mary Iyah and they are blessed with 3 children: two boys and a girl. His hobbies are watching and playing Golf.
The Chief of Defence Staff reports to the commander-in-Chief with administrative supervision of the Honourable Minister of Defence.
The job description of the chief of defence staff (CDS) is to formulate and execute policies, programmes towards the highest attainment of National Security and operational competence of the Armed Forces namely; the Army, Navy and Air Force.
The CDS is assisted by the Chiefs of Army (Ihejirika Azubuike), Navy (Rear Admiral DJ Ezeoba) and Air Force Staff (Air Vice Marshal Alex Shabundu Badeh).
List of CDS
General Domkat Bali (1984-1990)
General Sani Abacha (1990-1993)
Lt. General Oladipo Diya (1993)
General Abdulsalami Abubakar (1993-1998)
Air Marshal Allamin M. Daggash (1998-1999)
Admiral Ibrahim Ogohi (1999-2003)
General Alexander Ogomudia (2003-2006)
General Martin Luther Agwai (June 2006-May 25, 2007)
General Owoye Andrew Azazi (May 25, 2007-August 20, 2008)
Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike (August 20, 2008-September 8, 2010)
Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin (September 8, 2010 - October 4,2012)
Vice Admiral Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim(October 4,2012 - Present)