Security overhaul: Tinubu sacks Service Chiefs, IG, Customs CG, others
…Dissolves Boards of NIMASA, NPA, Shippers’ Council, NCAA, NAMA, others
…Appoints Egbetokun Acting IGP, others
…As Ex-NPA MD Bala Usman joins Special Advisers
…Panic among Buhari’s appointees heightens
By Seun Ibiyemi, Moses Adeniyi, and Gbenga Samson
Following the series of appointment upheavals since the beginning of the new administration, President Bola Tinubu has extended the wave to the security formation, overhauling the leadership order.
The President on Monday announced the replacement of the Service Chiefs, which include the Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, who have now been shown the exit door.
“President Tinubu, GCFR, also approved the immediate retirement of all Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police, Advisers, Comptroller-General of Customs from Service as well as their replacements with immediate effect,” a statement from the Information Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, signed by the Director of Information, Willie Bassey read partly.
Disclosing the development, the press statement titled, PRESIDENT TINUBU RETIRES ALL SERVICE CHIEFS, ADVISERS, COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF CUSTOMS, APPOINTS NEW ONES, revealed that the replacement for the sacked security chiefs include: Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser; Maj. Gen. C.G Musa, Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. T. A Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admirral E. A Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff; AVM H.B Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff.
Others are DIG Kayode Egbetokun, Acting Inspector-General of Police and Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye, Chief of Defense Intelligence.
Also shown the exit door is the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) who is now to be replaced by Adeniyi Bashir Adewale as the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs.
“It is to be noted 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,” the statement read.
Other appointments approved by President Tinubu include Col. Adebisi Onasanya, Brigade of Guards Commander; Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf, 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja; Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa 177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State;
Also were Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim, 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger and Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote, 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja
The statement also disclosed that the President has approved the appointments of other Military Officers in the Presidential Villa.
The appointed officers include, Maj. Isa Farouk Audu (N/14695), Commanding Officer State House Artillery; Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (N/16183), Second-in-Command, State House Artillery and Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (N/14656), Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence.
Also, Maj. TS Adeola (N/12860) Commanding Officer, State House Armament and Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578) Second-in- Command, State House Armament.
President Tinubu has also approved the appointments of two additional Special Advisers, which include Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser, Policy Coordination; Hannatu Musa Musawa, Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy.
Meanwhile, as the confirmation of the new appointees made so far by the President awaits approval of the National Assembly, the President on Monday also appointed Sen. Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel as Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (Senate) and Hon. (Barr) Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim as Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).
Recall that in his inaugural address on Monday May 29, Tinubu had promised Nigerians that security would be a top priority for his administration.
Barely three days after his inauguration, Tinubu had met at the State House, Abuja, with the Service Chiefs which are now sacked.
He had told the now sacked Service Chiefs led by the Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor, to be committed to the security of the Country.
Present at the closed-door session were the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, all of whom were appointed by the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari and have now been shown the exit door.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, also approved the immediate dissolution of the Governing Boards of all Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies, Institutions, and Government-Owned Companies in the exercise of its Constitutional Powers and in the Public interest.
In a press statement by the Director Information, Willie Bassey, for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said the dissolution does not, however, 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.
