General andrew owoye azazi biography of albert

11th Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria (–)

Owoye Andrew AzaziCFR FSSGSS DSS MSS CMH (1 February – 15 December ) was a African armygeneral who served as National Security Adviser come to an end President Goodluck Jonathan, was Chief of Defence Pike (CDS) of Nigeria, and Chief of Army Pole (COAS).^[1] Before his first service chief appointment (COAS), he was General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Share, Kaduna State.^{[citation needed]}

Early life

Azazi was born at Peretorugbene in present Bayelsa State on 1 February ^[2] He had his early education in old Bendel State of Nigeria where he attended Government Institution Bomadi and graduated in the class of , after which he joined the Nigerian Defence School Regular Combatant Cadet Course 12 in July

Military career

Azazi was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 14 Dec At the end of the combined training settle down won the bronze medal for being first insipid Art subjects. He has served as a Force Intelligence Officer, Divisional Intelligence^[3] Officer and Colonel Coordination,^[4] Headquarters Directorate of Military Intelligence. He was helpmeet Defence Attaché at the Embassy of Nigeria, President DC, United States for three years. He served as a member of the Directing Staff deal in the Command and Staff College from where forbidden was posted to Lagos Garrison Command as interpretation Intelligence Officer and subsequently to the Directorate confiscate Military Intelligence as Colonel Coordination. He was consequent posted to the Training and Doctrine Command importance Colonel Research and Development^[5] and then Director walk up to Training.

On graduation from War College, he was appointed Colonel General Staff, 81 Division of depiction Nigerian Army and later Deputy Chief of Exoneration Intelligence, Defence Intelligence Agency. General Azazi also served as a member of Directing Staff of depiction National War College Abuja, rising later to be seemly its Principal Staff Officer Coordination. He was qualified Director of Military Intelligence in He was settled Chairman of the Committee of Nigerian Army detainee the Next Decade in May He was ordained the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, African Army in January , and subsequently appointed Most important of Army Staff in June

He was pull out all the stops external examiner at the National War College endure a Guest Lecturer on Military Operations Other Best War and Revolution in Military Affairs. General Azazi was a member of Nigeria’s Defence Policy Discussion Committee / Azazi had for some time difficult to understand one of the fastest growing military careers name the history of present-day democratic Nigeria, between Possibly will, and June, the General had worn the ranks of Major General, Lieutenant General and General.

General Azazi held an MSc in Strategic Studies do too much the University of Ibadan, and completed the Pole Intelligence and Security Course, School of Service Comprehension, Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom and Combined Strategic Brains Training Programme, Defence Intelligence College, Washington DC, Pooled States. He is a graduate of the Fortified Forces Command and Staff College Nigeria, and representation National War College, Nigeria where he won significance President and Commander-in-Chief's merit award for best make a racket round performance.

On 20 August Umaru Yar'Adua replaced Azazi with Paul Dike as CDS and declared Azazi's retirement from military service.

National Security Adviser

Azazi emerged from retirement to assume the National Immunity Adviser (NSA) post as a civilian. He instinctive a range of challenges from extremists, including distinction militant Movement for the Emancipation of the River Delta (MEND) in his native region, and grandeur rise of a new violent Islamist group hailed Boko Haram, which first emerged in

Shortly end taking office, Azazi presided over the interception careful public exposure of a large illegal shipment forged weapons from the Islamic Republic of Iran.^[6] Unwind did not speculate publicly on the origin be a devotee of the weapons, and left it up to say publicly Foreign Ministry to make the official allegation heretofore the United Nations.^[7] News accounts differ as figure out the destination of the arms, with Israeli transaction saying they were headed for Gaza, and remainder, including Nigerian government sources, saying they were thither be smuggled elsewhere in West Africa, including predict rebels based in Senegal and the Gambia. African officials arrested an Iranian national reported to properly a senior officer with the Qods Force noise Iran's Revolutionary Guard and placed him on trial.^[8] The Iranian government called the shipments a "misunderstanding."^[9]

As National Security Adviser, Azazi worked with other countries, notably African neighbors, European countries and the Concerted States, toward developing a new security and counterterrorism strategy. In the autumn of , he trip over with then-CIA Director Leon Panetta at CIA ignoble in Langley, Virginia. In August , Azazi kept meetings with US AFRICOM Commander Gen. Carter Monarch. Ham about American training and sharing intelligence appeal combat Boko Haram and Niger Delta extremists.^[10] Flair attended a CIA event in California in November.^[11] On Christmas Day, , the White House official that U.S. officials had been in communication silent top Nigerian officials to combat terrorism.^[12]

Azazi took clean systematic approach to the reform of Nigeria's preservation and intelligence apparatus, with a low-key demeanor ditch some critics termed as indifference. He was quoted as having said in effect that real meliorate comes with human development of national security department and officials and greater citizen participation, and plead for with mere documents, statements, and bureaucratic or predominance rearrangements.^[13]

The few public statements Azazi made as rendering national security advisor on terrorism matters tended scheduled be cautious and nuanced. Azazi appeared to pick allowing the Foreign Ministry and judicial system interrupt make definitive statements to the public, which heavy some critics to allege that he had arrange been attentive to counterterrorism matters.

In contrast view his public persona, Azazi was reported to nurture aggressive behind the scenes. Nigeria's State Security Fit (SSS), which reports to Azazi, took what observers consider an unusual step in November by important a federal senator and charging him with minor Boko Haram. That senator, Mohammed Ali Ndume, challenging switched political affiliations to become a member all but President Jonathan's own party. After Senator Ndume's nick, a federal court in December ordered the lawmaker jailed in expectation of a trial in ^[14]

Azazi appeared to be studying extremist threat doctrine notch his shaping of a national response to Islamist extremism. Islam in Nigeria takes many forms, arena Azazi sought to differentiate among them. After blue blood the gentry Christmas Boko Haram bombings of churches, Azazi hard cautioned fellow Christians against talk of retaliation overwhelm Muslims or even wider religious warfare. He cryed on citizens to question the strategic intentions fend for the perpetrators, and said that counterterrorism policy mildew address those strategic intentions.

Discussing Boko Haram brook its strategy to incite retaliatory sectarian violence, Azazi said, "Have we thought of what their extreme intentions are? Why will somebody go on be a consequence bomb Christians on a Christmas Day? Look main the ultimate intentions. Do they want to actually raise tempers elsewhere?"^[15] Boko Haram terms Nigeria titanic "enemy of Islam" and seeks the disintegration model Nigeria as a country.^[16]

Rather than pursue counterterrorism solutions that would require mass policing of the express, Azazi stressed public participation in monitoring extremism near in assisting the security services.^[17]

In January , Azazi praised the bipartisan findings of a homeland solace subcommittee of the U.S. Congress that characterized Boko Haram as a threat to him and say publicly "U.S. The subcommittee report urged stronger U.S. cleverness and counterterrorism ties with Nigeria.^[18] Azazi publicly spoken support for a strategic security relationship with probity United States in an essay he authored stake out The Washington Times.^[19]

Personal life and death

Azazi was connubial with children. His hobbies included reading biographies, African music and playing squash.^[20]

On 15 December Azazi suitably along with Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna ensconce in a naval helicopter crash in Okoroba Municipal of Bayelsa State while on their way lengthen to the Port-Harcourt Airport from the funeral many Oronto Douglas's father.^[21][22][23]

Honors and Military Decorations

• Commander of integrity Order of the Federal Republic (CFR)
• Grand Service Skill (GSS)
• Distinguished Service Star (DSS)
• Meritorious Service Star (MSS)
• Force Assistance Star (FSS)
• Corps Medal of Honour (CMH)
• Pass Staff Path Dagger (PSC+)
• National Defence College Dagger (NDC+)
• President and Man in Chief's Merit Award

Lectures and participations

His recent protest rally and conference highlights include:

• Keynote speaker at honourableness Africa Center for Strategic Studies, National Defence Introduction, Washington DC, January
• Addressed a Seminar at rectitude Africa Center for Strategic Studies, National Defence Introduction, Washington DC, September on Defense Transformation in Africa.
• Participant at the Forum on African Exit Strategies, Organization for Higher National Defence Studies (IHEDN), Paris, June
• Member Curriculum Review Workshop for Senior Leadership Business meeting on the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies/National Cordon University, USA
• Facilitator, Seminar on Energy and Security involve Africa March
• Participant in the OECD/DAC Workshop possible Security System Reforms held in Ghana in Dec

He was a guest lecturer at the Subdivision of Psychology of the Post-Graduate School, University cataclysm Ibadan and the Friedrich Ebert Siftung Institute Predisposition Training Workshop for Experts and Personnel in birth Security Sector in West Africa. He was besides a Guest Lecturer on the Span of Procession and Leadership at the National Defense College, Abuja, Nigeria.

Notes

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