Meet the new Service Chiefs – Musa, Lagbaja, Ogalla, Abubakar, Undiandeye

President Bola Tinubu on Monday, June 19, 2023 appointed Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja as Chief of Army Staff.

Tinubu also appointed Rear Adm. E.A Ogalla as Chief of Naval Staff and Air Vice Marshal Hassan Abubakar, as Chief of the Air Staff, while Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye was appointed Chief of Defence Intelligence among others.

Gen. Musa, CDS

The new CDS, Gen. Musa, born on Dec. 25, 1967 in Sokoto, hails from Zangon Kataf in Kaduna State.

He is a member of the 38th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy and was commissioned on Sept. 21, 1991 into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps.

Musa holds a Masters Degree in Defence Studies, from the National Defence University Changing in Beijing China.

He has held several command appointments in the cause of his military career, and was at the thick of the fight against Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists for over a decade.

He was Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East, before his deployment as Commander Infantry Corps, from where he was appointed as CDS.

Gen. Lagbaja, COAS

The new COAS, Lagbaja hails from Ilobu in Oṣun and is a member of the 39 regular course of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

He holds a Bachelor degree in Geography from NDA Kaduna, and Masters Degree from U.S. Army War College.

Until his elevation as COAS, Lagbaja was the Chief of Operation (Army), and had served as General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Kaduna as well as 82 Division, Nigerian Army Enugu.

He had participated and held command positions in several military operations, including Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi Peninsula, United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Operation ZAKI.

He was also part of the Internal Security Operation in Benue; Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Operation MESA/UDO KA, and Internal Security Operation in the South-East.

As GOC 1 Division in Kaduna, he personally led troops of Operation FOREST SANITY in confronting terrorists in Kaduna and Niger states.

Admiral Ogalla, CNS

The new Chief of Naval Staff hails from Enugu Ezike in Enugu State and is also a member of 39 Regular Course of NDA.

Until his appointment, he was the Director of Lessons Learnt at Naval Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans.

Ogalla is a regular combatant and has held several command appointments and attended several courses both home and abroad.

AVM Abubakar, CAS

The new CAS, AVM Abubakar was born on September 11, 1970 and hails from Shanono Local Government Area in Kano State.

He was enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) as a member of 39 Regular Course of NDA and was commissioned Pilot Officer on September 19, 1992.

He was the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command until his new appointment and have attended several courses.

Abubakar holds Bachelor of Science Degree from the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna and Basic Flying Training Courses at the 301 Flying Training School Kaduna.

He also attended the National Defence Course at the Nasser Higher Military Academy, Cairo – Egypt, and holds Masters Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Gen. Undiandeye, CDI

The new Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Undiandeye hails from Bedia in Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State.

He was until his appointment the Commandant of the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji, Kaduna State.

Undiandeye was a member of the Troop Contributing Countries Working Group for the development of second edition of the United Nation Infantry Battalion Manual (UNIBAM) published in 2020 by the UN office of military affairs.

He is of the Intelligence Corps of the Nigerian Army.

The Star