Jonathan names new CDS, service chiefs

Posted by admin Armed Forces, Latest Politics Thursday, October 4th, 2012

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday named Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim as the new Chief of Defence Staff.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, Ibrahim, who is from Kwara State, replaces Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, who retires from service.

Until his new appointment, Ibrahim was the Chief of Naval Staff.

The President also named Rear Admiral Dele Ezeoba as the new Chief of Naval Staff. Ezeoba is from Delta State.

Until his new appointment, Ezeoba was the Chief of Administration at the Defence Headquarters.

Jonathan also named Air Vice Marshall Alex Badeh from Adamawa State as the new Chief of Air Staff.

Badeh was until his new appointment the Air Officer Commanding Training Command, Kaduna.

The President however retained the incumbent Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, from Abia State.

Jonathan thanked the outgoing service chiefs for their meritorious and commendable service to the nation and wished them well in their future endeavours.

Ibrahim, the new CDS, was born on June 15, 1955.

A graduate of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna and the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, he trained with the Royal and Indian Navies.

Ibrahim is a Navigation and Direction Specialist.

He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Ahmadu Bello University.

In 2002, he was at the Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom and at the Department of War Studies and Public Policy, Kings College, University of London for his Masters’ degree.

Ibrahim had tours of duty on Nigerian Naval Ships in various capacities and is decorated with the Command of Sea Badge for successful command at Sea on various Nigerian Naval Ships.

He was a Directing Staff and a Chief Instructor at the Department of Maritime Warfare, Armed forces Command and Staff College, Jaji. He was Secretary to the Chief of Naval Staff before being appointed to command the Naval operations base, Nigerian Naval Ship BEECROFT in 2001.

In 2003, Ibrahim served as Commander Naval Task Group, Operation HARMONY in the Eastern Naval command, Calabar before he went to the National Defence College as a directing staff later same year.

-Punchwp_posts