Nigerian Navy reshuffles appointments of senior officers

56 rear admirals and a Commodore, who make up the Nigerian Navy’s top senior officers, have had their appointments changed.

This information was disclosed in a statement released on Thursday in Abuja and signed by the director of information, Commodore AO Ayo-Vaughan.

Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole, formerly the Director of Logistics, Defence Space Administration, has been appointed as the Chief of Communications and Information Technology, Naval Headquarters, among other positions, according to Commodore Ayo-Vaughan. Rear Admiral Alexander Bingel, formerly the Director Combat Policy and Tactics, has been promoted to Director of Logistics, Defence Headquarters.

He said, “On June 27, 2023, the Nigerian Navy changed the appointments of its top senior officers, including 56 rear admirals and a Commodore. Rear Admiral Alexander Bingel, formerly the Director of Combat Policy and Tactics, is now the Director of Logistics, Defence Headquarters, following the redeployment. Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole, formerly the Director of Logistics, Defence Space Administration, is now the Chief of Communications and Information Technology, Naval Headquarters.

“Rear Admiral Kennedy Ezete, formerly Director Project Monitoring, Defence Headquarters, reverts to his previous position as Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters, while Rear Admiral Ibrahim Dewu, formerly Director Project Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, Naval Headquarters, is now Chief of Defence Civil Military Cooperation, Defence Headquarters. Rear Admiral Musa Madugu, who was formerly the Deputy Director Special Operation Forces at the Defence Headquarters, has been named the Admiral Superintendent Naval Ordinance Depot. Rear Admiral Livingstone Izu, who served as the Director Manning at Naval Headquarters, has been named the new Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters. While Rear Admiral Zakariya Muhammad, the previous Director of Training at Naval Headquarters, has been reappointed Chief of Training and Operations, Rear Admiral Daupreye Matthew, the former Director of Innovation and Concept Development at Naval Headquarters, is now the Director of Training at Defence Headquarters.

“Rear Admiral Emmanuel Nmoyem has been reappointed Director Human Rights Desks at the Defence Headquarters while Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shettima, who was formerly Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, moves to Defence Headquarters as Director of Plans.”

Rear Admiral Monday Unurhiere, a former director of plans at Naval Headquarters, was appointed chief of defence administration there, and Rear Admiral Hamza Kaoje, a former director of equipment standardisation and harmonisation at Defence Headquarters, was named group managing director of Navy Holdings Limited, he continued. While Rear Admiral Idi Abbas, formerly the Director of Operations, Naval Headquarters, has been reappointed as the Chief of Naval Safety and Standards, Rear Admiral Sulaiman El-ladan, formerly the Director of Naval Engineering, Naval Headquarters, is now the Director of Marine Research at the Defence Research and Development Bureau at Defence Headquarters. While Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande, the previous Director of Communications at Naval Headquarters, now serves as the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Mohammed Abdullahi assumes the position.

Director of Operations at Naval Headquarters is Commandant Naval War College Nigeria. While Rear Admiral Clement Atebi has been reappointed to Naval Headquarters as the Director Audit, Rear Admiral Istifanus Albara, formerly the Head ECOWAS Maritime Security Coordination Centre, Abidjan, moves to Naval Headquarters as Navy Secretary. While Rear Admiral Umar Chugali, formerly the Director Cyber at the Defence Space Administration, now serves as Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Samson Bura, formerly the Director Search and Rescue, Defence Headquarters, is now the Director of Logistics at the Defence Intelligence Agency. Rear Admiral Olusola Oluwagbire and Rear Admiral Oluwole Fadeyi have both been reappointed as the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command and Director Record Returns and Analysis, respectively, at Naval Headquarters.

Rear Admiral Baratuaipri Iyalla, formerly Chief Staff Officer, Logistics Command, was reappointed Flag Officer Commanding Logistics Command, Oghara, as part of the new postings. Rear Admiral Mustapha Hassan, formerly Director of Policy, Naval Headquarters, was redeployed to Naval War College Nigeria, Calabar as the Commandant. While Rear Admiral Bashir Mohammed, formerly the Chief of Logistics at Naval Headquarters, is now the Director of Project Monitoring at Defence Headquarters, Rear Admiral Kohath Levi, formerly the Chief Staff Officer Naval Doctrine Command, has returned to Naval Headquarters as the Chief of Naval Engineering. Former Director of Campaign Planning at Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Julius Nwagu is now Commandant of the Defence Intelligence College. Rear Admiral Mike Oamen, who was the Director of Veterans Affairs at Naval Headquarters, has been promoted to Chief of Naval Transformation, and Rear Admiral Patrick Nwatu has been reappointed Flag Officer Commanding Naval Training Command. Additionally, Rear Admiral Abolaji Orederu, formerly Director of Ships Design and Acquisition at the Naval Headquarters, has been appointed Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard Limited, Victoria Island, Lagos. Rear Admiral James Okosun, formerly Managing Director Admiralty Maritime Services Limited, has been reappointed Commandant Nigerian Navy Engineering College, Sapele.

Rear Admiral Suleiman Abdullahi, formerly the Managing Director of Navy Exchange Limited, is now the Director of Logistics, Defence Space Administration at the Defence Headquarters, replacing Rear Admiral Habilla Zakaria, who served as the immediate past Commander Naval Drafting. Rear Admiral Kasimu Bushi, formerly the Chief of Accounts and Budget at Naval Headquarters, has been named Managing Director of Navy Hotels and Suites Limited. Rear Admiral Joseph Akpan, formerly the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, has returned to Naval Headquarters as the Chief of Policy and Plans. Former Naval Headquarters Director of Peacekeeping Operations, Rear Admiral Abdulmajid Ibrahim, has been named Director of Defence Transformation at the Defence Headquarters.

The Commandant of the National Defence College, Abuja, is Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, formerly the Flag Officer Commanding the Logistics Command. While Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, Director of Recruitment, Resettlement, and Reserve, Naval Headquarters, has been appointed Deputy Chief of Defence Space Administration at the Defence Headquarters, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shehu, formerly the Director Marine Engineering, has been named Managing Director of Navy Building and Construction Company Limited. Former Director of Weapon Engineering at Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Fredrick Damtong is now the Admiral Superintendent Naval Shipyard Limited. While Rear Admiral Hamza Ibrahim, who previously served as Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard Limited, has been named Managing Director of Admiralty Marine Services Limited, Rear Admiral Abdul-rasheed Haruna has been reappointed as the Chief Staff Officer, Headquarters Eastern Naval Command. Rear Admiral John Mamman is reappointed Chief Staff Officer, Headquarters Western Naval Command, and Rear Admiral John Okeke is reappointed Chief Staff Officer, Headquarters Central Naval Command. Rear Admiral Sunday Oyegade, the outgoing Admiral Superintendent Naval Shipyard Limited, assumes office as the Director Project Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation at Naval Headquarters. Former Fleet Commander of the Western Fleet, Rear Admiral Olatunde Olodude, rejoins Naval Headquarters as the Director of Plans.

The redeployment also impacted Rear Admiral Sunday Atakpa, who was reappointed Chief Staff Officer of Headquarters Naval Training Command, and Rear Admiral Peter Zakaria, who was Director of Arms at Naval Headquarters before being named Chief Staff Officer of Headquarters Logistics Command. Rear Admiral Patrick Effah, formerly the Director of Maritime Domain Awareness, Naval Headquarters, is now the Director of Naval Intelligence. Rear Admiral Abdul-hamid Baba-Inna, formerly the Director of Legal Services, Naval Headquarters, is now the Director of Administration.

“Rear Admiral Chidozie Okehie, the previous Director of Personnel Release at Naval Headquarters, takes over as the Deputy Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji. Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, who was the Deputy Director Defence Affairs at the Office of the National Security Adviser, assumes office as the Director of Training, Naval Headquarters.

“Rear Admiral Olusegun Soyemi, who was formerly the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation Analysis at Naval Headquarters, has been named Director of Policy, and Rear Admiral Abraham Zipelle, who was formerly Commandant of the Defence Intelligence College, has been promoted to Director of Manning at Naval Headquarters. Additionally, the former Commander of the Central Pay Office, Commodore Omotola Olukoya, has been appointed the new Chief of Accounts and Budget at Naval Headquarters.