IN an unforeseen major shake-up of Nigeria’s defense hierarchy, President Goodluck Jonathan announced
on Thursday the replacement of the Chief of Defense Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin with Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim.
Presidential special adviser on media and publicity, Reuben Abati, revealed in a press availability on Thursday that the announcement takes effect immediately.
Also appointed was Rear Admiral Dele Ezeoba, who succeeds Air Vice Marshal Alex S. Badeh as Air Force Chief. Abati said the incumbent chief of army staff, Lieutenant-General Azubuike Ihejirike is not affected by the reshuffle.
President Jonathan thanked the service chiefs, and wished them success in their future endeavors.
According to the biographical accounts available at the official website of the Nigerian Navy, Vice Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim was born on 15 June 1955. A graduate of the Nigerian Defense Academy Kaduna and the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, where trained with the Royal and Indian navies. He had tours of duty on Nigerian Naval Ships in various capacities.
Vice Admiral Ibrahim is a Navigation and Direction specialist and wears the Command at Sea Badge for successful command at sea on various Nigerian Naval Ships.
Vice Admiral Ibrahim was a Directing Staff and a Chief Instructor respectively at the Department of Maritime Warfare, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji. He holds the Bachelor of Laws Degree from Ahmadu Bello University. He was secretary to the Chief of the Naval Staff before being appointed to command the naval operations base, Nigerian Naval Ship BEECROFT in 2001.
Admiral Ibrahim was at the Royal College of Defence Studies, UK as a member in 2002, where he, in addition obtained a Masters Degree from the Department of War Studies and Public at the King`s College University of London.
On his return, he was appointed as the Commander Naval Task Group, OPERATION HARMONY in the Eastern Naval Command, Calabar, before he came to the National Defence College Nigeria as a Directing Staff in 2003. He left the National Defence College for the Naval Headquarters as Navy Secretary in August 2005.
He returned to the College as Director Curriculum and Programmes Development in May 2006. It was this appointment that he headed back to the Naval Headquarters as Chief of Administration and subsequently Chief of Training and Operations.
In February 2009, he was appointed as the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, the appointment he held till his elevation to the present appointment of the Chief of the Naval Staff on 8 September 2010.