Meet 10 former Nigeria Chief of Army Staff who served between 1999 and 2021

After several appeals for the removal of Nigeria's service chiefs following the incessant kidnapping and killings of innocent citizens, President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, January 26, appointed new heads for the defence headquarters.

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Legit.ng reports that the call for the removal of the former Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai and other ex-service chiefs was not unconnected with the resurgence of the attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents on communities, especially in the northeast, northwest, northcentral and the southwest geo-political zones of the country.

Some ethnic groups such as Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Middle Belt groups had told President Buhari to relieve Buratai and others of their jobs but the presidency kept insisting the former service chiefs would soon end the insurgency in Nigeria.

In what seemed like a surprise to many people, President Buhari named Lt. Gen. Attahiru Ibrahim to succeed Buratai as Nigeria's new Chief of Army Staff.

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Here are the Army top echelons who have served as Chief of Army Staff since the return of democracy in 1999.

During the administration of Olusegun Obasanjo as the president and Commander-in-Chief (1999-2007)

1. Lt. Gen. Victor Malu (Benue): May 1999 – April 2001
2. Lt. Gen Alex Ogomudia (Delta): April 2001 – June 2003
3. Lt Gen Martin Luther Agwai (Kaduna): June 2003 – June 2006
4. Lt Gen Owoye Andrew Azazi (Bayesla): June 2006 to June 2007

During the administration of Umar Musa Yar’adua as the president and Commander-in-Chief (2007-2010)

5. Lt. Gen. Luka Yusuf (Kaduna): June 2007 to August 2008

6. Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazzau (Kano): August 2008 – September 2010

During the administration of Goodluck Jonathan as the president and Commander-in-Chief (2010-2015)

7. Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (Abia): Sept 2010 – Jan. 2014

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8. Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah (Rivers): Jan 2014 – July 2015

During the administration of Muhammadu Buhari as the president and Commander-in-Chief (2015 - till date)

9. Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai (Borno): July 2015 – Jan 2021

10. Lt Gen Attahiru Ibrahim (Kaduna): Jan 2021

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that President Buhari on Tuesday, January 26, announced the appointment of new service chiefs following the resignation of their predecessors.

It was reported that the Nigerian leader in a tweet via his official Twitter handle noted that he accepted the immediate resignation of the service chiefs and their retirement from service.

Source: Legit.ng