IN PICTURES: Meet the new spokesperson of The Defence Headquarters

Colonel Rabe Abubakar takes over from Major General Chris Olukolade as the new Director of Information for the Defence Headquarters. Maj. Gen. Olukolade is proceeding on retirement after 35 years of service in the Military.

Col. Abubakar is from Katsina State and began his career in the Army 26 years ago. He “promised to maintain excellent and robust press relations,” the Army’s statement said. Previously, he was Coordinator of the Joint Media Centre for the Joint Task Force Operation in the Niger Delta, as well as the Commandant of the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information.


The replacement of Col. Abubakar for Maj. Gen. Olukolade is one of the notable changes in the leadership of the Nigerian military. Since President Muhammadu Buhari’s inauguration in May, he has replaced the Joint Chiefs of Staff and moved the military’s center of command to Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, to better combat Boko Haram in the region.

Also most recently, The Nigerian Army established a Special Task Force Battalion located deep in the dreaded Sambisa Forest.