The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has redeployed a total of 67 senior officers comprising 30 Air Vice Marshals (AVM), 17 Air Commodores (Air Cdre), 10 Group Captains (Gp Capt), 7 Wing Commanders (Wg Cdr) and 3 Squadron Leaders (Sqn Ldr). The redeployment came on the heel of the decoration of senior officers recently promoted to the ranks of AVM and Air Cdre.
Prominent among those affected by the new posting at the Headquarters Nigerian Air Force (HQ NAF) Abuja are: AVM Muhammadu Muhammed newly appointed as the Air Secretary, AVM Saleh Shinkafi appointed the pioneer Chief of Medical Services, AVM Mohammad Muhammad appointed the Chief of Administration and, AVM Sambo Usman appointed the Chief of Logistics and Communication.
In a statement by NAF Director of Public Relations & Information, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, the new posting also brought about leadership changes at the Command level; with 3 of the former Air Officers Commanding (AOCs) redeployed while 2 new ones have been appointed. Those redeployed include AVM Nurudeen Balogun moved from Training Command Kaduna to Tactical Air Command Makurdi; AVM Christopher Okoye from Special Operations Command Bauchi to Training Command Kaduna and; AVM Sani Ahmed from Logistics Command Ikeja to Special Operations Command, Bauchi. The two newly appointed AOCs are AVM Stephen Onuh (Mobility Command, Yenagoa) and AVM Ibrahim Yahaya (Logistics Command, Ikeja).
In the same vein, AVM Ajibola Jekennu is now the Commandant Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Oshodi while AVM Isiyaka Bukar becomes the Commandant Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna. Others are Air Commodore Hassan Abubakar appointed the new commander, 011 Presidential Air Fleet Abuja and, Air Commodore Ismaila Yahaya now the Principal Air Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff.
The recent deployment, though a routine exercise, is aimed at ensuring that the NAF is effectively manned for operational efficiency and effectiveness in line with the vision of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar. The postings take effect from 22 December 2016.
