Wednesday,
20 August 2008 was just another day in the lives of most Nigerians, but
not so for Air Marshal Paul Dike, the erstwhile Chief of Air Staff. On
this good Wednesday, Dike was appointed Chief of Defence Staff by
the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,
President Umaru Yar'Adua. With Dike's was also the appointments of three
other Service Chiefs: Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, Air Force; Maj. Gen.
A. Bello Dambazau, Army; and Rear Admiral Isaiah Ibrahim, Navy.
These appointments
came following a major shake-up of the command structure of the Nigerian
Armed Forces which also retired Azazi, Yusuf, and Adekeye. Dike takes over from Gen. Andrew Azazi while Ibrahim replaces Vice-Admiral
G.T.A. Adekeye who are retiring from service. Dambazau takes over from
Lt.-Gen. Luka Yusuf who is also retiring.
Until his new appointment, Dambazau was the General Officer Commanding the
2 Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan, Oyo State. Rear Admiral Ibrahim was the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Training
Command, Lagos.
Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin was appointed as Chief of Air Staff, the position formerly held by the new CDS, Paul Dike. Air Marshal Petinrin was the Air Officer Commanding the Nigerian Air Force Training Command, Kaduna, before the new appointment.
The Special Adviser to the President on Communications, Mr. Olusegun
Adeniyi, told journalists in Abuja that their appointments were with immediate
effect.
Adeniyi said the President made the approvals shortly before jetting
off to Saudi Arabia for this years lesser Hajj. "All the appointments are
with immediate effect he said. Adeniyi pointed out that
President Yar'Adua and the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Yayale
Ahmed, had earlier met with Azazi, Adekeye and Yusuf to thank them for their
services to the nation.
THESE MEN EXCEPT PETINRIN ARE RETIRED
AFTER SERVING OUT THEIR 2 YEAR
TENURE.
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