Nigerian Army Set To Appoint First Female Acting Director of Public Relations.
The Nigerian Army is poised to make history with the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anaele as the first female Acting Director of Army Public Relations.
According to The Guardian, the groundbreaking appointment will take effect from 22 April 2025. Lieutenant Colonel Anaele will assume the role following the departure of the outgoing Director, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, shortly after the Easter break.
Major General Nwachukwu, who has served as the Army’s image maker under three different Chiefs of Army Staff—Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya (Rtd), the late Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, and the current COAS, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede—will hand over the reins to Anaele in what is seen as a significant milestone in the Nigerian Army’s evolving leadership structure.
The appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Anaele has been widely applauded as a major step towards gender inclusion in Nigeria’s armed forces, reinforcing the military’s commitment to equal opportunity and merit-based advancement.
In a related development, the Nigerian Army has issued a strong rebuttal to a viral video circulating on social media, which purports that soldiers are suffering from a lack of ammunition. The video, featuring troops chanting “Enough is enough: They’re playing politics with people’s lives, without ammunition,” has been dismissed by the Army as recycled and misleading.
Speaking on the matter, Major General Nwachukwu clarified that the video is outdated and is being spread with malicious intent to undermine the reputation of the Nigerian Army.
“The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to an old video posted on various social media platforms by unscrupulous elements,” he said. “The footage is being recycled with the obnoxious and malicious intent of denigrating the Nigerian Army, particularly at a time when the institution is doing everything to reinvigorate its efforts in addressing security challenges across the country.”
He further assured that the Army is well-equipped with the necessary logistics to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities, citing the ongoing successes in various operational theatres.
“The Nigerian Army is not lacking in the requisite logistics to carry out its constitutional mandates,” Nwachukwu stated. “The recycling of an old video just to gain social media traction is a despicable act that not only distracts from active operations but also attempts to dampen troop morale.”
The Army called on members of the public to be cautious in consuming and sharing online content, urging them to fact-check information to avoid spreading false narratives.
As Lieutenant Colonel Anaele prepares to step into her new role, the Nigerian Army continues to reinforce its dedication to professionalism, integrity, and national service in the face of ongoing security challenges.
