By Daniel Idonor
ABUJA—FOLLOWING the resignation of former National Security Adviser, Lt. General Aliyu Gusau to contest the 2011 presidential elections, President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, approved the appointment of General Andrew Owoye Azazi (rtd) to take over from him.

General Azazi, a former Chief of Army Staff, COAS, and later Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, who takes over from the outgoing NSA, Colonel Kayode Are (rtd) was also a dreaded spy in his days in the army.

A statement by the presidential spokesman, Mr Ima Niboro, said Azazi had a rich and illustrious career in the military, during which he rose to head the Nigerian Military Intelligence, in his capacity as director of the military secret service.

The statement said: “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has appointed General Andrew Owoye Azazi as National Security Adviser, NSA. General Azazi takes over from Col. Kayode Are (rtd), who until now was the Acting NSA.

“Azazi joins the Jonathan’s administration from a rich and illustrious career in the military. Commissioned into the army as a military intelligence officer, he rose to the position of Director of Military Intelligence, DMI. He was thereafter appointed as General Officer Commanding 1 Infantry Division, from where he was appointed as Chief of Army Staff.”

The statement said that General Azazi rose to become Chief of Defence Staff, and retired meritoriously on August 28, 2008,” adding that President Jonathan also thanked Colonel Kayode Are for his service to the nation and wished him well in his future endeavours.

General Owoye Andrew Azazi was born at Peretorugbene in present Bayelsa State on February 1, 1952. He had his early education in the defunct Bendel State where he attended Government College Bomadi and graduated in the class of 1968, after which he joined the Nigerian Defence Academy Regular Combatant Cadet Course 12 on July 3, 1972.

Azazi was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on December 14, 1974. At the end of the combined training he won the bronze medal for being first in art subjects. He has served as a Brigade Intelligence Officer, Divisional Intelligence Officer and Colonel Coordination, Headquarters Directorate of Military Intelligence.

He was assistant Defence Attaché at the Embassy of Nigeria, Washington DC, United States for three years.

Garrison command

He served as a member of the Directing Staff of the Command and Staff College from where he was posted to Lagos Garrison Command as the Intelligence Officer and subsequently to the Directorate of Military Intelligence as Colonel Coordination.

He was later posted to the Training and Doctrine Command as Colonel Research and Development and then Director of Training. On graduation from War College, he was appointed Colonel General Staff, 81 Division of the Nigerian Army and later Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence, Defence Intelligence Agency.

General Azazi also served as a member of Directing Staff of the National War College, Abuja, rising later to become its Principal Staff Officer Coordination. He was appointed Director of Military Intelligence in 2003.

The senior officer is an external examiner at the National War College and a guest lecturer on military operations other than war and revolution in military affairs. General Azazi was a member of Nigeria’s Defence Policy Review Committee 2000/2001.

He was appointed Chairman of the Committee of Nigerian Army in the Next Decade in May 2004. He was appointed the General Officer Commanding, GOC, 1 Division, Nigerian Army in January 2005, and subsequently appointed Chief of Army Staff, COAS, in June 2006.

General Azazi holds a MSc in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan, and has completed the Staff Intelligence and Security Course, School of Service  Intelligence, Ashford, Kent, UK and Combined Strategic Intelligence Training  Programme, Defence Intelligence College, Washington DC, United States.