In a well attended Military ceremony of signing handing and taking over note, changing of baton and flag of authority, the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh has handed over the mantle of leadership to the new Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
In his brief remark, the out going Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Badeh expressed appreciation to former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan for his appointment as the 15th Chief of Defence Staff and to President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity to work with him for a couple of months. He congratulated the new Chief of Defence Staff and the Service Chiefs on their appointments “you came at a critical time in the life of our country and Armed Forces, the task before you is tough but not insurmountable. I wish you the very best”, he concluded.
In his inaugural speech, Major General Olonishakin identified Nigeria’s challenges of the nations security as insurgency and terrorism, armed banditry, militancy, kidnapping and other threats and promised a well coordinated joint effort of the Nigerian Armed Forces with other security stakeholders to achieve the desired end-state in the counter insurgency and other vices. This, he promised to achieve through actionable intelligence gathering, logistics, communication and other critical equipments. He therefore enjoined members of the Nigerian Armed Forces to refocus and redouble their efforts towards winning the battles ahead. General Olonishakin reiterated that the military must begin to look at issues more critically and increase its commitments to justify the confidence reposed in it by the government and people of Nigeria.
He commended his predecessor, Air Chief Marshall Badeh on his efforts at improving the operational efficiency of the Nigerian Armed Forces and pledged to consolidate on his monumental legacies.
The climax was the decoration of the new Chief of Defence Staff with Badges by the out going Chief of Defence Staff and the handing and taking over of the Defence Flag and other symbols of authority.
