Buhari has not Appointed Danjuma Alli Keffi as the new COAS

Buhari has not Appointed Danjuma Alli Keffi as the new COAS despite the news being spread on various online platforms that state otherwise.

Various news blogs reported that the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Danjuma All-Keffi, has been named the acting Army Chief of Staff.

However, the claim that President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi as the new Chief of Army Staff in acting capacity is not true.

On Friday the 21st May 2021, It was reported that a military airplane had crashed in Kaduna state, Nigeria, leading to the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other senior officers.

On Saturday, the 22nd of May, the late Chief of Army Staff was buried at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja,

Others that were also buried include: the Chief of Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Abdulkadir Kuliya; Chief of Staff to the late COAS, Brigadier General Mohammed Idris Abdulkadir; Brigadier General Olatunji Lukman Olayinka, Aide-De-Camp to the COAS, Major Lawal Aliyu Hayat, and Major Nura Hamza.

The pilot of the ill-fated aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Taiwo Olufemi Asaniyi, Flight Lieutenant Alfred Ayodeji Olufade, Sergeant Opeyemi Isaiah Adesina, Sergeant Umar Saidu and Aircraftman (ACM) Olamide Matthew Oyedepo was also buried.

President Muhammadu Buhari described the officers’ death as a national tragedy and stated that this was indeed a trying period for the country, due to the death of the officers that were among the nation’s finest.

In the midst of mourning the loss of these military officers, several news blogs had reported that the President appointed Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi as the new Chief of Army Staff in acting capacity.

Below are some of the news headlines that was shared online:

“Following the death of Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi as the new Chief of Army Staff in acting capacity.

“NaijaOnPoint.com (TNG) reports the appointment of Major General Ali-Keffi as acting Chief of Army Staff was confirmed late Saturday.

“Until his appointment, Ali-Keffi was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, who took over from Maj. General Usman Muhammad two months ago.