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Nigerian Navy Releases Postings Of Senior Officers

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The Nigerian Navy has released the posting of 54 rear admirals following the recent promotion of senior officers in the Service.

In the postings, Rear Admiral Saidu Garba, formerly the Navy Secretary, has been appointed Chief of Policy and Plans, Naval Headquarters, while Rear Admiral Barabutemegha Gbassa, formerly Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command is now the Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters.

Rear Admiral Sanusi Ibrahim, formerly Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, moves to Naval Headquarters as Navy Secretary, while Rear Admiral Sileranda Lassa, formerly Flag Officer Commanding Logistics Command, has been appointed Group Managing Director, Navy Holdings Limited.

Rear Admiral Muhammed Nagenu, erstwhile Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters has been appointed Chief of Defence Administration at the Defence Headquarters and Rear Admiral Solomon Agada, formerly Director Peacekeeping Operations, Naval Headquarters is now appointed Chief of Training and Operations.

The postings also affected Rear Admiral Murtala Bashir who moves from Naval War College as Commandant to National Defence College also as Commandant, while Rear Admiral Adeseye Ayobanjo, formerly Director Maritime Domain Awareness at the Naval Headquarters will resume as Chief of Defence Civil Military Cooperation, Defence Headquarters.

Similarly, Rear Admiral Okon Eyo, former Director of Training, Defence Headquarters has been appointed Chief of Naval Transformation, Naval Headquarters while Rear Admiral Perry Onwuzulike, formerly Director Lessons Learnt, Naval Headquarters is now the Chief of Naval Safety and Standards, Naval Headquarters.

Rear Admiral Monday Unurhiere, formerly Chief Staff Officer, Naval Training Command has been reappointed to Naval Training Command as Flag Officer Commanding.

Additionally, Rear Admiral Joseph Akpan, formerly Director Personnel Release is reappointed at the Naval Headquarters as Director of Policy, while Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, erstwhile Director of Manning, Naval Headquaters has been appointed Flag Officer Commanding, Logistics Command.

Rear Admiral Tanko Pani, former Admiral Superintendent Naval Ordnance Depot has also been appointed Director of Plans, Defence Headquarters.

Rear Admiral Akinga Ayafa, formerly Chief of Naval Safety and Standards resumes as Flag Officer Commanding Naval Doctrine Command, while Rear Admiral Nuhu Bala is reappointed at the Defence Headquarters as Director of Transformation.

Rear Admiral Vincent Okeke, former Director Transformation, Naval Headquarters moves to the Defence Headquarters as Director of Logistics, while Rear Admiral Danjuma Moses also resumes at the Defence Headquarters as Director of Training.

The reorganisation also affected Rear Admiral Yakubu Wambai, formerly the Director of Operations Naval Headquarters who is now appointed Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command and Rear Admiral Emmanuel Beckley resumes as Admiral Superintendent Naval Ordnance Depot.

Rear Admiral Ibrahim Dewu has been moved from Navy Hotels and Suites Limited where he was Managing Director to Eastern Naval Command as Flag Officer Commanding, while Rear Admiral Nnamdi Muogilim has been reappointed to the Defence Headquarters as Chief of Defence Space Administration.

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas who was Chief Staff Officer, Central Naval Command is now reappointed as the Flag Officer Commanding, while Rear Admiral Mohammed Abdullahi former Commander Naval Drafting has been appointed to Navy Hotels and Suites Limited as Managing Director. Rear Admiral Samson Bura, <a href=”http://Facebook.com/metrotimesngr”>formerly</a> Director of Air Operations, Naval Headquarters resumes at the Western <a href=”https://metrotimesng.com/2022/01/kano-coas-interfaces-with-stakeholders-visits-governor-emir/”>Fleet</a> as Fleet Commander.

Rear Admiral Olusola Oluwagbire moves from Eastern Naval Command to Naval Headquarters as Director of Operations, while Rear Admiral Mustapha Hassan, formerly Chief Staff Officer, Logistics Command takes over as Deputy Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.

Similarly, Rear Admiral Baratuaipri Iyalla, formerly Managing Director, Naval Engineering Services Limited is now Chief Staff Officer Logistics Command, while Rear Admiral Kohath Levi who was Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard Limited has been appointed as Chief Staff Officer, Naval Doctrine Command.

Rear Admiral Patrick Nwatu, erstwhile Deputy Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College resumes at Naval Headquarters as Director of Plans, while Rear Admiral Habila Zakaria, formerly Chief Staff Officer, Western Naval Command takes over as Commander Command Naval Drafting.

Rear Admiral Zakariyya Muhammed has been reappointed as Director of Training, Naval Headquarters, while Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shettima moves to Naval Headquarters as Chief of Logistics. Rear Admiral Abdulmajid Ibrahim, formerly a Director at Defence Headquarters has been appointed Director Peacekeeping Operations, Naval Headquarters, while Rear Admiral Uduak Ibanga, formerly Director Project Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation, Naval Headquarters resumes at Naval Building and Construction Company Limited as Managing Director.

Rear Admiral Kennedy Egbuchulam who was the Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command has been appointed as Director of Administration, Naval Headquarters, while Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande, the former Principal Staff Officer to Chief of the Naval Staff is the new Commandant, Naval War College, Nigeria.

Furthermore, Rear Admiral Umar Chugali who was the Commandant, Nigerian Navy Provost and Regulating School, Makurdi has been redeployed to Defence Headquarters as Director Cyber Security, while Rear Admiral Eugenio Ferreira, formerly Deputy Director Career Planning, Naval Headquarters is reappointed as the Director Manning. Rear Admiral Bashir Mohammed, former Commander Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT has been appointed to Naval Headquarters as Director Project Implementation and Monitoring Evaluation, while Rear Admiral Mike Oamen, the immediate past Commandant, Defence Intelligence College is the new Chief Staff Officer, Eastern Naval Command.

Rear Admiral Abolaji Orederu, formerly a Director at the National Defence College moves to Naval Headquarters as Director of Ships Design and Acquisition, while Rear Admiral Livingstone Izu, erstwhile Fleet Commander, Eastern Fleet has been appointed as Director of Procurement, Naval Headquarters.

Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, formerly Director Audit, Naval Headquarters has been reappointed as Director Lessons Learnt, while Rear Admiral Alexander Bingel, formerly Commander Naval Base Lake Chad takes over as Director of Combat Policy and Tactics and Coordinator NIMASA deep Blue, Naval Headquarters.

Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed former Commander Nigerian Navy Ship PATHFINDER is the new Chief Staff Officer Naval training Command, while Rear Admiral Hamza Ibrahim, the immediate past Commodore Superintendent, Naval Shipyard Limited resumes as Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard Limited. Rear Admiral Sunday Oyegade, erstwhile Director Marine Engineering, Naval Headquarters has also been appointed as Admiral Superintendent Naval Shipyard Limited.

The new postings also redeployed Rear Admiral John Mamman, formerly Maritime Component Commander, Operation DELTA SAFE moves to Naval Headquarters as Director of Recruitment, Reserve and Resettlement, while Rear Admiral Peter Zakaria has been appointed to the Naval Headquarters as Director of Armament.

Rear Admiral Chubuike Azike is reappointed at the Defence Headquarters as Director of Education, while Rear Admiral Ismaila Zelani, formerly Director of Sports, Naval Headquarters is reappointed as Director of Veterans Affairs.

Rear Admiral Kennedy Ezete, erstwhile Naval Provost Marshal is now the Director of Transformation, Naval Headquarters, while Rear Admiral Hamza Kaoje formally the Director Marine services, Lagos takes over as Chief Staff Officer, Western Naval Command.

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I Delivered $15m Agency Cash To Ex-NIMASA DG Akpobolokemi, EFCC Witness Tells Court

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A prosecution witness, Captain Ezekiel Bala-Agaba, testified in a Lagos Federal High Court on Thursday, that he personally delivered $15 million in cash to former NIMASA DG, Patrick Akpobolokemi.

The witness, Bala-Agaba, a former Executive Director of Maritime Safety, Shipping Development and Marine Operations at NIMASA, made the disclosure while testifying before Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

Captain Agaba, who appeared as the 15th prosecution witness, told the court that funds meant for pipeline surveillance were withdrawn from NIMASA’s accounts, converted into dollars, and handed over to Dr Akpobolokemi.

According to him, the money was taken to a Bureau de Change, which converted it into $15 million before the cash was delivered to the NIMASA office on Burma Road, Apapa, Lagos.

He said he subsequently took the money to the office of the then Director-General.

“The money was sent to a Bureau de Change, which later brought the dollar equivalent to our office at Burma Road, Apapa, Lagos. I asked my Personal Assistant, Ekene Nwakuche, to carry the bag and follow me to the Director-General’s office,” he told the court.

The witness explained that he collected the bag from his aide before entering the office.

“When we got to the door of the Director-General’s office, I collected the bag from him and asked him to wait outside. I then personally delivered the sum of $15 million to the Director-General.”

The witness was initially a defendant in the case but later opted to testify for the prosecution.

While being led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Suleiman Suleiman, he explained the chain of command within NIMASA and how financial approvals were processed in the agency.

According to him, the Director-General is the overall head of the agency and issues instructions to directors, who then implement policies in line with the NIMASA Act.

He told the court that he chaired the agency’s Intelligence Committee, which was responsible for certain security-related operations.

“As chairman of the committee, I oversaw its activities and reported directly to the Director-General, Dr. Patrick Akpobolokemi,” he said.

During the proceedings, the witness was also shown a document containing a letter from Access Bank to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detailing transactions in NIMASA’s accounts between 2013 and 2015.

When asked how much money he took to the former Director-General, Agaba replied: “$15 million.”

After listening to the testimony, Justice Faji adjourned the matter until April 22 and 23 for cross-examination of the witness.

The EFCC had in December 2015 arraigned Dr. Akpobolokemi and seven others before the court on a 30-count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraudulent conversion of funds and money laundering.

Those charged alongside the former NIMASA boss include, Warredi Enisuoh, Governor Juan, Ugo Frederick, Timi Alari, as well as Alkenzo Limited and Penniel Engineering Services Limited.

They pleaded not guilty to the offences.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants conspired to divert funds running into over N1.15 billion under the guise of providing security intelligence in Nigeria’s maritime domain.

According to the EFCC, the NIMASA Intelligence Committee allegedly received N1,153,000,000 between December 2013 and July 2015.

Investigations further revealed that several companies contracted to execute the intelligence operations were either unregistered or lacked the capacity to perform the services, while some were allegedly linked to the defendants.

The prosecution also alleged that the defendants nominated or owned many of the companies used to execute the contracts.

One of the charges stated that the defendants conspired to commit offences punishable under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012.

 

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CBN Bars Chronic Loan Defaulters from Accessing New Banking Services

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a directive to all financial institutions to immediately restrict certain banking services for large-ticket borrowers with non-performing loans (NPLs).

This move is aimed at strengthening credit discipline and protecting the stability of the Nigerian financial system following a rise in the industry’s NPL ratio to approximately 7%, exceeding the regulatory 5% threshold.

This order is specifically targeted at large-ticket obligors.

The CBN issued the directive in a circular to banks on Monday.

The latest instruction comes almost a week after the CBN asked financial institutions to stress test.

It is uncertain if the two directives are connected or what may have triggered the loan-related instruction, but the apex bank said it furthers its mandate to protect Nigeria’s financial system.

“In furtherance of its mandate to promote a sound financial system, protect depositors, and enhance prudential compliance within the banking sector, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) hereby directs all banks to restrict non-performing large ticket obligors, whose activities pose systemic risk to the financial system, from accessing specified banking services,” the circular reads in part.

“Any large-ticket obligor with a non-performing facility recorded in the CRMS and/or any licensed private credit bureau shall not be granted additional credit facilities. For the purpose of this restriction, credit facilities include loans and other forms of direct credit.

“In addition, such obligors shall not be granted banking facilities or contingent liabilities such as bankers’ confirmations, letters of credit, performance bonds, or advance payment guarantees.”

 

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Makinde Only In PDP Because He’s Not Seeking Re-election – Otitoju

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Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, the Director of News at TVC News, recently stated that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde would likely have defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) if he was still serving his first term.

Otitoju stated this on Friday on TVC’s ‘Breakfast Show’.

He described the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ibadan last November as a mere waste of time.

“People must show good judgment at a critical phase. What was the point of having that convention? Two courts told you not to go ahead but you went ahead.

“I may not be a fan of former Senate President Bukola Saraki but if he says something that makes sense, I will be the first to admit it. He made sense when he said let’s go for caretaker. What’s the point of not listening to him?

“Later you will be shouting that the ruling party is behind your crisis, meanwhile you are the architect of your own misfortunes. You created this problem.

“If Makinde were in his first term, he would have fled like the dancing governor because his second term would have been in danger,” Otitoju said.

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