Nigerian Army redeploys spokesman, others

 THE Nigerian Army has redeployed its Director of Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Olajide Laleye.

Laleye’s redeployment was said to be routine and part of regular redeployment and postings of officers by the leadership of the Army.

A security source said shortly after the monthly meeting of the Forum of Security and Response Agencies in Abuja at the Rock View Hotel, Abuja, that the director of army public relations had been deployed to Benin as the Commander in charge of the 4th Brigade of the Nigerian Army.

Laleye would neither confirm nor deny his new posting on Wednesday.

When our correspondent contacted the Army spokesman on the telephone, he said that the Army would come out with a formal position on postings within the service later.

“The Army would make a formal reaction on redeployments within the service later,” he said.

The PUNCH had reported exclusively on Monday that the Army authorities had approved routine postings affecting a substantial number of officers.

The postings were said to have also affected the General Officer Commanding the 7th Division, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim.

Ibrahim has been moved to the Army headquarters to ‘occupy a high position’ while Maj. Gen. E Adeosun is appointed to take over as GOC of the 7th Division.

Until his appointment, Adeosun had been in charge of the 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Abia State.

It was further reported that the GOC in charge of the 2nd Division, Ibadan, Maj. Gen. Abejirin, had been retired from the service “after years of meritorious service.”

The forum has representatives from the military and intelligence and response agencies in the country.

Laleye, on Monday, had said, “The Nigerian Army has carried out postings as a result of promotions and retirements. Postings are done periodically in the Army as a result of promotions and retirements…”

Meanwhile, the Forum of Spokespersons for Security and Response Agencies has warned politicians against making inciting and reckless utterances as the nation moves nearer to the 2015 elections.

The Forum also called on religious and community leaders to sensitise their subjects against involvement in political thuggery and violence.

The FOSSRA’s comment was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of its monthly meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.

The communiqué was signed by the Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade (Chairman), and the spokesman of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr. Emmanuel Okeh, who is the secretary of the organisation.

The communiqué said that all the security agencies in the country were involved in training and mobilisation of logistics required for the successful conduct of the elections in the country.

They also assured the citizenry of their resolve to remain impartial and non-partisan in the performance of their security responsibilities during and after the conduct of the forthcoming election.