Tinubu rejigs security architecture

Retires Service Chiefs, IGP, appoints new COAS, others
Dissolves Boards of FG parastatals, agencies, institutions, companies

In a bold step towards Nigeria’s security architectural reforms as promised, President Bola Tinubu has retired all Service Chiefs, including the Inspector-General of Police from Service.

Also affected are the Advisers, and the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service. Their replacements have been announced.

In a statement on Monday, the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary-General to the Federation, Willie Bassey, informed that Nuhu Ribadu who only last week was appointed as the Security Adviser to the President has now been appointed as the National Security Adviser.

Also, former Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Christopher Musa, would replace General Lucky Irabor as the Chief of Defence Staff.

Similarly, Major General T. A Lagbaja would replace Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya as the Chief of Army Staff, while Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla has been appointed to take over from Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo as the Chief of Naval Staff and Air Marshal Oladayo Amao would be replaced by Air Vice Marshal H.B Abubakar as the Chief of Air Staff.

Others appointed are DIG Kayode Egbetokun as the Acting Inspector-General of Police and Major General EPA Undiandeye as the Chief of Defence Intelligence.

The President also approved the appointment of Col. Adebisi Onasanya as the Brigade of Guards Commander; Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf, the 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja; Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa, 177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State; Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger and Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

Similarly, President Tinubu approved the appointments of other military officers in the Presidential Villa.

They are Maj. Isa Farouk Audu (N/14695) Commanding Officer State House Artillery, Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (N/16183) Second-in-Command, State House Artillery; Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (N/14656) Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence; Maj. TS Adeola (N/12860) Commanding Officer, State House Armament, and Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578) Second-in- Command, State House Armament.

In the same token, Adeniyi Adewale has been appointed as the Acting Comptroller General of Customs.

The President has also approved the appointments of two additional Special Advisers, and two Senior Assistants, namely: Hadiza Bala Usman Special Adviser, Policy Coordination; Hannatu Musa Musawa Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy; Sen. Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (Senate) and Hon. (Barr) Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives)” the statement added.

However, Bassey stressed that the appointed Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Comptroller General of Customs are to act in their positions, pending their confirmation in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In a related development, President Bola Tinubu has dissolved the Governing Boards of all Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies, Institutions, and Government-Owned Companies.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Senator George Akume disclosed in a late Monday statement.

Akume said the action was an exercise of the president’s “Constitutional Powers and in the Public interest”.

However, the SGF explained that the dissolution does not affect Boards, Commissions and Councils listed in the Third Schedule, Part 1, Section 153 (i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

“In view of this development and until such a time new boards are constituted, the Chief Executive Officers of the Parastatals, Agencies, Institutions, and Government-Owned Companies are directed to refer matters requiring the attention of their Boards to the President, through the Permanent Secretaries of their respective supervisory Ministries and Offices.

“Permanent Secretaries are directed, also, to route such correspondences to Mr President through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Consequently, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies are to ensure compliance to the provision of this directive which took effect from Friday 16th June 2023.

“Permanent Secretaries are particularly directed to inform the Chief Executive Officers of the affected Agencies under the supervision of their respective Ministries/Offices for immediate compliance”, Akume stated.

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