Abati: I thought I could rattle Tinubu during media chat — but he knows what he’s doing

President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate retirement of all Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police, Advisers, Comptroller-General of Customs from Service as well as their replacements with immediate effect.

The president has, however, appointed new Service Chiefs and new Inspector-General of Police and others.

This is contained in a statement issued by Willie Bassey, Director, Information, for Secretary to the Government of the Federation

Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, a general, led the service chiefs and heads of security agencies to the meeting on Thursday, Daily Trust reports.

The retired service chiefs are the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Farouk Yahaya; the Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo; the Chief of Air Staff, Isiaka Amao; and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali.

Also sacked is the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ibrahim Ali, National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and others.

The newly appointed Security Chiefs are: Mallam Nuhu Ribadu National Security Adviser; Maj. Gen. C.G Musa, Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. G 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.

The president also approved Col. Adebisi Onasanya as Brigade of Guards Commander; Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf, 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja; Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa 177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State; Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger
and Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote, 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

Similarly, the President has approved the appointments of other Military Officers in the Presidential Villa as follows: Maj. Isa Farouk Audu, (N/14695) Commanding Officer State House Artillery; Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (N/16183), Second-in-Command, State House Artillery; Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (N/14656), Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence; Maj. TS Adeola (N/12860), Commanding Officer, State House Armament and Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578) Second-in- Command, State House Armament.

Tinubu also approved the appointments of two (2) additional Special Advisers, and two (2) Senior Assistants, namely: Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser, Policy Coordination; Hannatu Musa Musawa, Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy; Sen. Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel, Senior Special Assistant , National Assembly Matters (Senate); Hon. (Barr) Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives)

The President has also approved the appointment of Adeniyi Bashir Adewale as the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs.

“It is to be noted that the appointed Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Comptroller General of Customs are to act in their positions, pending their confirmation in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement said.