By Jonathan Ugbal
The Nigerian Army will on Tuesday, formally rename the Akim Army Barracks to the Ibrahim Attahiru Barracks, in honor of the late Lieutenant General who served as the 21st Chief of Army Staff between January and May 2021.
Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, the 25th COAS, is expected to perform the renaming ceremony at the Barracks in Calabar, the Cross River State Capital.
As at press time, preparations are in top gear with at least one visiting top military commander sighted in town.
Who Is Ibrahim Attahiru?
Born on August 10th 1966 in Doka, Kaduna State, he was a member of the 35th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defense Academy. He began Cadets training in January 1984 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in December 1986 as an Infantry Officer.
How Does He Fit Into Cross River?
The late General served in Cross River State at different times.
Between 1996 and 2000, while the Army was running Operation Harmony IV, in the Bakassi Peninsula, he served as the Commanding Officer of the 146 Battalion, Nigerian Army with headquarters now at Eburutu Cantonment.
He rose through the ranks and, in January 2014, after completing his tour of duty as the Spokesman of the Army under the 18th COAS, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, Brig. Gen. Attahiru (as he then was), was posted to command the 13th Brigade of the Nigerian Army (Operation Pulo Shield) headquartered at the Akim Barracks in Calabar which is now being named after him.
He served in various other capacities and later returned to oversee 13 Brigade and other units while serving as the General Officer Commanding 82 Division – the only combined infantry between airborne forces, mechanized infantry, and motorized infantry division unit of the Nigerian Army.
He was later appointed the 21st Chief of Army Staff and served from 28 January 2021 to 21 May 2021 when he died in the NAF Beechcraft B300 King Air 350i crash near Kaduna International Airport.
It is unclear, whether the Colors of the Brigade will be changed to reflect those of the 6th Division Nigerian Army after a recent reordering of the Divisions has moved 13th Brigade out of 82 Division.
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