President Bola Tinubu has appointed new Service Chiefs after he retired the former in a bid to reposition the security architectures to battle insecurity.
The new Service Chiefs are: Maj. Gen. C.G Musa, Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. Gen. T. A Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admirral E. A Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff; AVM H.B Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff; DIG Kayode Egbetokun, Acting Inspector-General of Police and Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye, Chief of Defense Intelligence.
Below are the profiles of the new Service Chiefs:
1. Maj.-Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa, Chief of Defence Staff
Major General Christopher Gwabin Musa was born in Sokoto State, Northwest Nigeria on December 25, 1967.
He attended primary and secondary education in the conservative Muslim state although he is originally from Zangon Kataf Local Government Area in the Christian South of Kaduna State.
Musa was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna State in 1986 where he underwent intense and rigorous military training for five years during a time the Nigerian military held political power in the country.
In September 1991, he was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a second lieutenant in the Infantry Corps.
He holds an Advanced Diploma in Security Management from University of Lagos, Advance Diploma in Defence and Strategic Course (China) – International College of Defence Studies -National Defense University (ICDS-NDU) – Changing – China, amongst others.
Major-General Musa has attended all statutory Military Courses and Trainings both in Nigeria and outside Nigeria.
He was the General Staff Officer 1 Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division, he was the Commanding Officer 73 Battalion, Assistant Director Operational Requirements at Department of Army Policy and Plans, Infantry Representative/Member Training Team at HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
Also, he was the Deputy Chief of Staff Training/Operations at HQ Infantry Centre and Corps, Commander Sector 3 OP LAFIYA DOLE, Commander Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Tchad Region, and other positions too numerous to mention.
He was also the Theatre Commander, Operation HADIN KAI.
Until his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff, he was Commander, Nigerian Army Infantry Corps.
2. Maj. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff
He was 39th General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna on Monday.
Lagbaja also served as Chief of Operation (DAOP), Army Headquarters, Abuja.
3. Rear Admiral A. Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff
Ogalla is from Nnsuka, Enugu State.
Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla was former Director of Audit, Naval Headquarters.
He was also reappointed as Director
4. Air Vice Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff
Air Vice Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar was born on 11 September 1970.
He hails from Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State.
He enlisted into the NAF as a member of NDA RC 39 and commissioned Pilot Offr on 19 Sep 92.
Abubakar bagged a Bachelor of Science Degree from the Nigerian Defence, Academy Kaduna.
He holds a Master’s Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from ABU, Zaria.
He was Admin Officer 16 Engineering Wing, 1 Engineering Group NAF Makurdi.
He also held the position of Officer Commanding Admin Services Flight/ Group Public Relations Officer, 97 Special Operations Group NAF Port Harcourt.
Abubakar was appointed Officer Commanding Yellow Squadron – Air Force Military School Jos and Admin Officer Primary Flying Training Wing – 301 FTS NAF Kaduna, as well as SO1 Admin 301 FTS NAF Kaduna.
He was also Officer, Commanding ‘B’ Squadron (Do 228) – 81 Air Maritime Group NAF Benin; Team Leader MILOB Team Site 615 Mahagi (Ituri Brigade) MONUC; Aviation Planning Officer, MONUC Air Operations Kinshasa, DRC; Commanding Officer Base Services Wing 81 Air Maritime Group Nigerian Air force Benin and Operations Officer, Operational Conversion Unit 88 Military Airlift group Nigerian air Force Lagos.
He was also Operations Officer, 88 Military Airlift Group, Ikeja, Lagos; Commanding Officer, 21 Wing 88, Military Airlift Group Lagos; Group Safety Officer 88 Military Airlift Group Ikeja, Lagos; Fleet operation officer, 011, Presidential Air Fleet; Commander 011 Presidential Air Fleet, Chief of Staff, Mobility Command; Director of Policy, HQ NAF and Director of Operations, HQ NAF; Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command and the Chief of Standards and Operations, HQ NAF.
Abubakar is happily married with children and in his leisure time, the senior officer enjoys flying airplanes, reading, reflecting and keeping fit.
5. DIG Kayode Egbetokun, Acting Inspector-General of Police
Egbetokun was born on Sept. 4, 1964 in Erinja, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
His a June 1987 graduate of Mathematics from University of Lagos (UNILAG).
Egbetokun lectured Mathematics briefly at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, before his enlistment into the police.
His other academic qualifications include MSC Engineering Analysis (UNILAG), also from the University of Lagos, Akoka, 1996; Post-Graduate Diploma in Petroleum Economics from Delta State University, Abraka, 2000; and an MBA from Lagos State University, Ojo, 2004.
Egbetokun enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on March 3, 1990, as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police.
In 1999, he was appointed Chief Security Officer to Governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu.
He served as the Commander, Rapid Response Squad, Lagos; Squadron Commander, Mopol 5, Benin, Benin City; Officer-in-Charge, Anti-Fraud Unit, FCT Command, Abuja; Chief Superintendent of Police, Administration, Lagos State Command Head Quarters, Ikeja; Area Commander, Osogbo, Osun State Command; and Area Commander, Gusau, Zamfara State Command, amongst others.
He was promoted Commissioner of Police on 29 September, 2020 and was deployed to Kwara State; Assistant Inspector General of Police in September 2022, and deployed to Zone 7 (Abuja) and Deputy Inspector General of Police on March 29, 2023 and deployed to the FCID.
