Meet Lagbaja, Ogalla, Abubakar, Nigeria’s service chiefs

President Bola Tinubu has appointed new Service Chiefs after approving the immediate retirement of all the incumbent Service Chiefs, Advisers and Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Gen TA Lagbaja takes over from Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya as Chief of Army Staff; Air Vice Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar takes over from Air Marshal Oladayo Amao as Chief of Air Staff; Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla takes over from Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo as Chief of Naval staff.

Army Chief

Gen Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja is a member of 39 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy and was commissioned in the rank of Second Lieutenant on September 19, 1992.

The senior officer has served the Nigerian Army in several capacities and has held several appointments. Until his current appointment as General Officer Commanding 1 Division, he was the General Officer Commanding 82 Division.

He assumed Command on August 8, 2022 as the 39th General Officer Commanding 1 Division prior to his appointment.

Air Chief

Air Vice Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar was born on September 11, 1970. He hails from Shanono Local Government Area in Kano State. He enlisted into the NAF as a member of NDA RC 39 and commissioned Pilot Offr on September 19, 1992.

The Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command has attended several courses. Some of these include: Bachelor of Science Degree from the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna. National Defence Course at the Nasser Higher Military Academy, Cairo – Egypt. He holds a master’s Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from ABU Zaria.

Until his appointment as the 22nd Chief of the Air Staff, AVM HB Abubakar was the Chief of Standards and Operations, HQ NAF.

The senior officer has also held several appointments, some of which are: Admin Officer 16 Engineering Wing, 1 Engineering Group NAF Makurdi, Fleet operation officer – 011Presidential Air Fleet, Commander 011 Presidential Air Fleet, Chief of Staff, Mobility Command, Director of Policy, HQ NAF, Director of Operations, HQ NAF, Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, among several others.

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Abubakar has earned several awards and decorations, some of these include: Distinguished Service Star, Passed Staff Course (psc), Fellow Defence College, Masters in International Affairs, Member National Institute of Management, Member Chartered Institute of Public Management, and Member Nigerian Institute of Safety Professionals.

Abubakar is happily married with children and in his leisure time, the senior officer enjoys flying airplanes, reading, reflecting and keeping fit.

Naval Chief

Rear Adm Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla was born on December 20, 1968, in Enugu Ezike Igbo Eze north LGA Enugu State, Nigeria. He obtained the WASC from the NMS Zaria in June 1987, where he graduated as the best boy in Sciences. He had A1 in all subjects except English language. He is a member of the 39 RC NDA, graduated with a BSc in Maths and was awarded sword of honour as the best naval cadet in his course. He was commissioned S Lt on Sep 16, 1992 and rose to the rank of R Adm wef Sep 16, 2021. He completed the STC NNS QUORRA, Basic Hydrography National Hydrographic School India in May 2000, Junior and Senior Staff Courses AFCSC Jaji in Nov 01 and Jul 06 respectively. He was a participant of NDC Course 22 and was awarded fdc in Aug 14. As part of the Course, he took part in the MSc Strategic Studies programme, University of Ibadan from 2014 to 2015.

Ogalla served on board many ships including NNS AMBE, ARADU, LANA, EKUN, AGU, QUORRA, BEECROFT, DELTA and PATHFINDER. While on board NNS EKUN he took part in the ECOMOG Operations in Liberia in 1996. Also as the Base operations officer in NNS PATHFINDER, he was responsible for coordinating anti illegal bunkering operations as well the entire policing duties of the base. During the period there was a remarkable reduction in illegal activities in the maritime area within the base area of operations.

He also served as Instructor, CI and Comdt NNHS, SO 1 Survey and DD Instruments NNHO, ADCP, DD Hydro and DPR NHQ, as well as DS/ DARAS NDC and D Audit NASS NHQ. He is currently the DLL NHQ. During his cumulative 6-year tour of duty in NNHS, he taught geodesy, datum conversion, tidal predictions and analysis, satellite surveying, bathymetry, among others. As Comdt, he linked the School with Teledyn Marines, a reputable OEM in the US, which enabled the NN to procure several survey equipment from the company, leading to improvements in practical training. He was also instrumental to the review of the School’s curriculum to align with IHO requirements. During his tour of duty in the NNHO, the senior officer was instrumental to the localisation of tidal prediction and analysis. He participated in the FAO sponsored Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem survey in 2004 and provided professional inputs during the survey and production of the NNHO charts. During his tour of duty at the NDC, he contributed towards the improvement of the College research package and also led the 2018 participants research study tour to China and South Korea. As DLL he was responsible for collating and analysing previous NN Operations and activities with the objective of drawing lessons necessary for doctrinal and operational improvements.

Rear Admiral Ogalla is decorated with FSS, MSS, DSS and GSS. He is a member of the Nigerian Hydrographic Society, Nigerian Institute of Management, the International Earth Rotation Services and also a fellow of the Occupational Safety and Health Association of the UK. He is married to Mrs Ijeoma Ogalla and the marriage is blessed with 2 children. His hubbies include jugging, reading, listening and researching about science and nature.

Chief of Defence Staff

Christopher Gwabin Musa was born on December 25, 1967, in Sokoto State in northwest Nigeria, completed his elementary and secondary education there despite coming from the Christian South of Kaduna State’s Zangon Kataf Local Government Area.
He was accepted into the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna State in 1986, and for five years, while the Nigerian military ruled the nation, he received rigorous and grueling military training.
He was commissioned into the Nigerian Army in September 1991 as a second lieutenant in the Infantry Corps, one of the most challenging divisions of the army due to its physical and mental demands.
Major General Chris Musa, the Theatre Commander for “Operation Hadin Kai,” has helped Nigerian Armed Forces reclaim the upper hand after more than ten years of fighting Islamist insurgents in the northeast.
The senior commander has been at the center of several army actions and he is revered in the army.

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National Security Adviser

Ribadu studied law at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Kaduna State from 1980 until 1983, receiving a Bachelor of Laws degree. Following a year at the Nigerian Law School, he was called to Bar in 1984. He also earned a Master of Laws degree from the same university.

Ribadu joined the Nigerian Police Force shortly after graduation and held the positions of Assistant Superintendent of Police, Nigeria Police Force, January 1,1986; Divisional Crime Officer for Ajegunle, Mushin, Apapa from 1990 to 1997; Force CID. AIagbon Close, Ugos; dep. Superintendent of Police, 1992; Superintendent of Police, 1995; Chief Superintendent of Police, 1998; asst comm. of Police, 2002; Head, Ugal and Prosecution Department, NPF.