Unknown Gunmen: 82 Division Gets New GOC, UT Musa, Petitioned Over Protesters Killed In Abuja

By Onyema Nwachukwu/Press

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In an effort to reposition the Nigerian Army (NA) for operational efficiency and proficiency, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has approved the posting and appointment of some senior officers of the Nigerian Army to command, instructional and staff appointments across NA formations and units.

Those affected in the redeployment released on Thursday 28 July 2022, include some Principal Staff Officers of the Army Headquarters, General Officers Commanding, Corps Commanders, Commandants of training institutions, Brigade Commanders, Commanding Officers, amongst others.

Some of the senior officers appointed as General Officers Commanding (GOCs) are Major General UT Musa from Headquarters 81 Division to Headquarters 82 Division and appointed GOC, Major General TA Lagbaja from Headquarters 82 Division to Headquarters 1 Division and appointed GOC, Major General OC Ajunwa from Nigeria Defence Section Brasilia to HQ 81 Division and appointed GOC , while Major General AS Chinade was redeployed from Depot Nigerian Army to Headquarters 2 Division and appointed GOC.

The newly appointed Army Headquarters Principal Staff Officers include, Maj Gen OW Ali, from Headquarters Command Army Records to Army Headquarters Department of Army Administration and appointed Chief of Administration (Army) Maj Gen S Muhammed, from Defence Headquarters to Department of Army Standards and Evaluation and appointed Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation (Army), Major General JA Ataguba from Army Headquarters Department of Army Standards and Evaluation to Defence Headquarters and appointed, Director Peace Keeping Operations, Major General AA Adesope from Headquarters Nigerian Army Finance Corps to Defence Headquarters and appointed Chief of Defence Accounts and Budget, Major General US Mohammed from Army Headquarters Department of Administration to Nigerian Army Resource Centre and appointment Senior Research Fellow.

Other senior officers affected in the redeployment are Major General PB Fakrogha, from Defence Headquarters Garrison to Defence Space Agency and appointed Director Policy Plans and Research, Major General MO Enendu, from Nigerian Army College of Logistics to Defence Headquarters and appointed Director Psychological Warfare, Major General AE Attu from Defence Headquarters Department of Defence Training and Operations to Defence Headquarters Garrison and appointed Commander, Major General BE Onyeuko from Defence Headquarters Directorate of Defence Media Operations to Defence Headquarters Department of Logistics and appointed Director Procurement

The newly appointed Corps Commanders are, Major General AM Alabi, from Nigerian Army Ordnance School to Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps and appointed Corps Commander Ordnance, Major General A Mohammed, from Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Limited and to Headquarters Nigerian Army Electrical Mechanical Engineers and appointed Corps Commander Electrical Mechanical Engineers, Major General E Akerejola from Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Transport and appointed Commander Corps of Supply and Transport, Major General AA Fayemiwo from Nigerian Army Welfare Holdings Limited by Guarantee to Headquarters Finance Corps and appointed Chief of Accounts and Budget (Army).

Senior officers newly appointed as Commandants of Nigerian Army Training Institutions are Major General PI Eze, from Defence Headquarters Department of Procurement to Nigerian Army Ordinance School and appointed Commandant, Major General AA Adeyinka from Army Headquarters Department of Army Logistics to Nigerian Army College of Logistics and appointed Commandants, Major General PP Malla from Army Headquarters Department of Army Administration to Depot Nigerian Army and appointed Commandant as well as Brigadier General UT Otaru from Defence Headquarters to Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport and appointed Acting Commandant.

The newly appointed Brigade Commanders are, Brigadier General DH Ndahi, from Nigerian Army Resource Centre to Headquarters 4 Brigade and appointed Commander, Brig Gen FS Etim from Amphibious Training School to Headquarters 6 Brigade and appointed Commander, Brigadier General EA Orakwe from Headquarters 6 Division to Headquarters 19 Brigade and appointed Commander, Brigadier General JO Are from Army Headquarters Department of Army Standards and Evaluation to Headquarters 3 Brigade and appointed Commander, amongst others.

The Chief of Army Staff has directed all the newly appointed senior officers to redouble their effort and commitment to duty in tackling the security challenges bedeviling the nation, as they assume their new appointments.

@views exclusive rights: ONYEMA NWACHUKWU, Brigadier General, Director, Army Public Relations, 29 July 2022.

SaharaReporters news media of May 30, 2021 reports the petition against Major General Umar Tama Musa thus:

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shi’ites, has dragged the former Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai before the Unted Nations and European Union for alleged killing 78 members of the group in three years during peaceful protests to demand the release of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. 

IMN in a petition dated May 28th 2021 and signed by Secretary Academic Forum of the movement, Abdullahi Musa called on  international organisations to take necessary actions against the perpetrators of the alleged crime against humanity.

The group said it would not stop to demand for justice in the killing of unarmed and innocent protesters who embarked on peaceful protests against the continued detention of their leader, El-Zakzaky.

The movement stated that two journalists and two police officers were also killed by the police while clamping down on the group between 2018 and 2021.

The petition, which was sighted by SaharaReporters, was addressed to the Country Representatives United Nations and Head of Delegation to Nigeria, European Union, with the names of the victims.

The sect said the killing of unarmed protesters was a clear violation of rules of engagement and therefore called on the UN and EU to invite the former security chiefs who allowed the atrocities to be committed under their watch.

The petition said, “The protest was started on Monday, January 8, 2018. Ever since then, and in less than four years, the combination of the Army and the police has with full intent murdered nearly four scores free-Zakzaky protesters, 78 to be more precise; 2 journalists, 2 police officers and many passers-by [Abuja residents].

“First, in the year 2018; on Tuesday, January 9, at Wuse Zone 6, by Sky Memorial, some FCT police officers shot Sheikh Qaseem Umar Sokoto in the leg which subsequently led to his unfortunate death on the 5th of February, 27 days after the incident. Yet, on Wednesday, January 10, they opened fire at Area 2, Garki. They killed 3 with cruelty- Aminu Ibraheem Gashua, Adamu Salis Dunari and Bilyaminu Mika’ilu. On Monday, April 16, they killed Ahmad Rufa’i at the National Human Rights Commission.

“On Saturday, October 27, during the Arbaeen Symbolic Trek and free-Zakzaky protest, officers of the Nigerian Army killed 5 people at a time at Zuba. Two days later, Monday, October 29, soldiers of the Presidential Guards Brigade, a unit of the Nigerian Army, then under Brigadier General Umar Tama Musa, waylaid Sheikh Zakzaky’s followers at Kubo checking-point, close to Mogadishu Barrack. There, they massacred 42 Ashura mourners on the march.” 

The sect also called on the Nigerian authorities to release their leader and his wife, Zeenat who have been detained since December 2015 after a violent clash with the convoy of the former Chief of Army Staff in Zaria, which led to the death of many members of the group.