Nigerian Air Force promote 57 Senior Officers; Navy elevates 30 Rear Admirals, 25 Commodores, 72 Captains (See names)
The Air Force Council (AFC) has approved the promotion of 57 senior officers comprising 31 Air Commodores (Air Cdres) and 25 Group Captains (Gp. Capts.) to the next higher ranks in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
The senior officers promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal (AVM) include Air Cdres Esen Efanga, Michael Ekwueme, John Laoye, Bgmibgmitawuza Solomon, Hassan Alhaji, Idi Sani, Patrick Obeya, Ahmed Dari, Gabriel Kehinde, Ebimbowei Yinkere, Anthony Ekpe, Patrick Phillips, Bukkan Sani and Ndubuisi Okoro.
Others are Simon Peter, Olasunkanmi Abidoye, Lawal Danzangi, Abdullahi Bello, Boniface Ifeobu, Anthony Martins, Dominic Danat, Samuel Chinda, Mohammed Yusuf, Mohammed Aliyu, Alfred Shogbanmu and Paul Irumheson.
Also, on the Navy Board on Thursday 15 December 2022 approved the promotions of 55 senior officers to various ranks in the Nigerian Navy. Breakdown of the promotion released showed that 25 Captains were elevated to Commodore while 30 Commodores were promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. In an earlier approval, 72 Commanders were promoted to the rank of Captain.
The newly promoted Rear Admirals are Garba Abubakar, Adewale Olanrewaju, Fatah Sanusi, Domnan Dangwel, Hamisu Sadiq, Olusanya Bankole, Noel Madugu, Daupreye Matthew, Emmanuel Nmoyem, Clement Atebi, Oluwole Fadeyi, Julius Nwagu, Abdul-Rasheed Haruna, John Okeke, Olatunde Oludude, Sunday Atakpa, Abdul-Hamid Baba-Inna, Patrick Effah, Abubakar Mustapha, Chidozie Okehie, Olusegun Soyemi, Ebiobowei Zipele, James Okosun, Ibrahim Shehu, Fredrick Damtong, Chijoke Onyemaobi, Kasimu Bushi and Suleiman Abdullahi. Furthermore, Priston Efedue and Jamila Malafa were both promoted to retirement.
The Air Force Council, according to a statement by Edward Gabkwet, Air Commodore, Director of Public Relations & Information of the Nigerian Air Force, also approved the terminal promotion of six (6) senior officers comprising five (5) Air Cdres to the rank of AVM and a Gp. Capt. promoted to the rank of Air Cdre. The five Air Cdres terminally promoted include Dauda Prayero, Christopher Egwoba, Sunny Ohemu, Akugbe Iyamu, and Joseph Malgwi, while Gp. Capt. Aderemi Alli-Balogun was terminally promoted to the rank of Air Commodore.
Others promoted from the rank of Gp. Capt. to Air Cdre are Gp. Capts. Nasiru Saidu, Idowu Adewunmi, Abdul-Karimu Audu, Abdullahi Dogo, David Bello, Magnus Abanum, Friday Bassey, Babatunde Oguntunde, Chukwuma Ohanele, Loveday Wariboko, Okechukwu Okpara, Daniel Njoku and David Babalola. Others include Umar Idris, Semiu Bakare, Usman Umar, Gabriel Oyekale, Sunday Bello, Mathew Bulus, Jilantikiri Ijudigal, Isaac Adelakun, Musa Aileru, Haliru Badamasi, Apeh Joseph and Yelwa Mohammed.
The statement said further that “the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao on behalf of the entire NAF family heartily congratulates the newly promoted senior officers while charging them to see their elevation as an added responsibility that calls for strategic level critical thinking and analysis in proffering lasting solutions towards curbing the current security challenges in the country.
“For those on terminal promotion, Air Marshal Amao wished them well in their future endeavours, while advising them to justify their terminal elevation by being exemplary ambassadors of the NAF who are ready, willing and ever ready to contribute their quota to the advancement of the Service.
While the terminally promoted officers were decorated earlier in the day by the Chief of Air Staff at a brief, but colourful ceremony at NAF Headquarters, others will be decorated with their new ranks at a later date to be announced soon.
The newly promoted Commodores are Sola Adebayo, Stephen Ega, Mohammed Hassan, Hyacinth Nwaka, Ugochukwu Ajulu, Mohammed Alhassan, Benjamin Francis, Mohammed Manga, Adewale Odejobi, Humphrey Oriekezie, Tamuno-Kubie Senibo, Toritseju Vincent, Badamasi Yahuza, Kennedy Ozokoye, Igbadi Abechi, Abidemi Abu, Sylvester Earthaogwa, Salisu El-Hussein, Idouye Ketebu, Ogochukwu Ogbologu, Adedotun Ogundiran, Enoch Sogbesan and Daniel Kumangari.
Meanwhile, Lanre Ajibade and Chima Mpi were both promoted to retirement by the Navy Board.
The statement by AO Ayo-Vaughan, Commodore, for Chief of the Naval Staff, which announced the promotions, said that “the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo CFR, on behalf of officers, ratings and civilian staff of the Nigerian Navy, rejoices with these newly promoted senior officers and their families and charges them to rededicate themselves to their responsibilities and remain loyal to the nation and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR.”
