Less than 48 hours after the death of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-General Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other military officers in a plane crash, reports claim that Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division Nigerian Army, Kaduna, may be appointed the new COAS. General Ali-Keffi is however not among the most senior military officers in the operation of the Nigerian Army. In fact, he has more than 30 senior major generals above him in seniority.

“The consequence of this if it is true, is that it will force these brilliant officers to retire at a period we need more hands in the prosecution of diverse operations across the country. I don’t think we need such mass retirement now,” a security expert opined. However, a top military officer told PRNigeria that several factors are considered for the appointment of service chiefs beyond seniority. “You know the President has the discretion to appoint anyone he so wishes with advice or probably a nomination from the Minister of Defence. “Apart from Seniority in service, officers so considered must have been grounded in military operations and intelligence,” the officer said.

Some of the most senior and experienced military officers, PRNigeria learnt, include the current Chief of Policy and Plan, Major General Ben Ahanotu of Regular Course 35 from Anambra State and very fluent in Hausa language. He was the Commander of the Military Operation that captured the founder of Boko Haram Mohammed Yusuf and his followers at their hideout in Maiduguri in 2009 before handing them over to the Police.

Major General AM Aliyu of Regular Course 36 from Gombe State is another operation officer. He is the Chief of Administration of the Nigerian Army and former Director Foreign Liaison at the Defence Intelligence Agency. He was responsible for processing actionable intelligence for military operations.

Another officer is Major General Ibrahim Manu Yusuf of Regular Course 37 from Yobe State. He is Chief of Operation and former Force Commander Multinational Joint Taskforce (MNJTF). He was also a General Officer Commanding 7 Division with rich experience in the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the North East and have also taught in many military colleges including Nigerian Defence College (NDC), Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), and Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre (NAPKC), Jaji.

Major General Faruk Yahaya of Regular Course 37 from Zamfara State is yet another. He is the current Theatre Commander Operation in the North-East and former General Officer Commanding Officer of the 1 Division of the Nigerian Army.

PRNigeria further gathered that there are other senior operational officers worthy of considerations.

Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru and the other military officers died in a plane crash on Friday on an official visit to the northern state of Kaduna including the Chief of Military Intelligence, Brig-Gen. Kuliya; and Provost Marshall, Brig-Gen. Olayinka.

Adapted from a PRNigeria report.

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