Brigadier-General Yerima Replaces Musa As Army Spokesman

                     Mohammed Yerima

New army chief, Ibrahim Attahiru has approved the appointment of Mohammed Yerima, a brigadier-general, as the Director of Army Public Relations.

Mr. Yerima replaces Sagir Musa, a long-standing loyalist of immediate past army chief, Tukur Buratai.

Mr. Musa has been redeployed to the Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC), Kontagora in Niger State.

A profile of the new army spokesman released by the Army Headquarters, shows that he is a graduate of Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University.

Mr. Yerima enrolled into the Nigerian Army in October 1989 and was commissioned into the Corps of Army Public Relations.

He served in various military formations and units such as Aide De Camp to the Commander Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) between 1990 and 1993.

Mr. Yerima was Public Relations Officer for the Nigerian Army Officers wives Association (NAOWA), Office of Chief of Army Staff 1994; spokesperson, 81 Division from 1995 to1996 and PRO Nigerian Defence Academy 1996 to 2000.

He was also Military Spokesperson for the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, 2000 to 2002; PRO to Chief of Army Staff, 2003 and PRO to Chief of Defence Staff, 2005.

The new army spokesperson was also Deputy DPR 1 Division Nigerian Army, 2008 as well as Chief of Staff and Coordinator at Directorate of Army Public Relations, 2007 to 2009.

He served as Director of Defence Information between 2009 and 2013; was also Deputy Director, Production at TRADOC from 2013 to 2017 as well as Deputy Director Reserve, Defence Headquarters before his current appointment.

Mr. Yerima is member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) as well as African Public Relations Association (APRA) and Fellow of West Africa Society for Administration and Communication.

He was a participant at Senior Strategic Media Operation programme at Reach Cambridge and at Kofi Annan Centre, Ghana.

He also attended the Senior Leadership Course at Sheringham United Kingdom and undertook a US-Embassy funded Media tour of Africom in Stuttgart Germany.

(NAN)