President Goodluck Jonathan has changed the leadership of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Police Force with the appointment of new service chiefs and an acting Inspector General of Police.

The newly appointed service chiefs are: O.O Peterin, Air Marshal, - chief of defence staff; O. A. Ihejirika, Major General, - chief of army staff; O.S Ibrahim, Rear Admiral, chief of naval staff; and M.D Umar, Air Vice Marshal, - chief of air staff.

The president has also appointed Hafiz A. Ringim as the acting Inspector General of Police, and Ita Ekpeyong as the new director general of the State Security Services (SSS).

The new appointments were contained in a statement by the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Ima Niboro, which explained that "the appointment is with immediate effect, subject to the confirmation of the National Assembly, subject to the Armed Forces Act, section 18(cap a20 laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004)."

According to the statement, the president thanked the outgoing service chiefs, whose tenures it claimed "expired in August", for their outstanding stewardship, loyalty, and defence of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The president also thanked the outgoing Inspector General, Ogbonnaya Onovo, and outgoing DG SSS, Mr. A.A Gadzama, for their dedication to service of the fatherland and wished them well in their future endeavours.

Mr. Onovo has come under severe criticism over the increasing spate of kidnapping across the country, particularly in the south-east region.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5616656-146/jonathan_replaces_police_boss_and_service.csp