Lucky Irabor
{{Short description|17th Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria (born 1965)}}
{{Use Nigerian English|date=August 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Lucky Irabor
|honorific_prefix = General
|honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NG|CFR}} {{small|psc NAM GSS ndc FCMH}}
|image =
|caption = Official portrait of the 17th Chief of Defence Staff (Nigerian Armed Forces)
|office1 = Chief of Defence Staff
|term_start1 = 29 January 2021
|term_end1 = 23 June 2023
|president1 = Muhammadu Buhari
Bola Tinubu
|predecessor1 = Abayomi Olonisakin
|successor1 = Christopher Musa
|office2 = Commander of TRADOC
|term_start2 = July 2020
|term_end2 = January 2021
|predecessor2 = Abubakar Tarfa
|successor2 = Stevenson Olabanji
|office3 = Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force
|term_start3 = May 2017
|term_end3 = August 2018
|predecessor3 = Lamidi Adeosun
|successor3 = Chikezie Ude
|office4 = Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole
|term_start4 = March 2016
|term_end4 = May 2017
|predecessor4 = Hassan Umaru
|successor4 = Ibrahim Attahiru
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|10|5|df=y}}
|birth_place = Agbor, Mid-Western Region, Nigeria (now in Delta State)
|death_date =
|death_place =
|allegiance = {{flag|Nigeria}}
|branch = 21px Nigerian Army
|title =
|serviceyears = 1983–2023
}}
Lucky Eluonye Onyenuchea Irabor {{post-nominals|country=NG|CFR}} {{small|psc NAM GSS ndc FCMH}} (born 5 October 1965){{cite web|title=Profile of the New Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor|url=https://prnigeria.com/2021/01/26/cds-general-leo-irabor/|website=PR Nigeria|date=26 January 2021|access-date=27 January 2021}} is a retired Nigerian army general{{cite web|date=5 March 2021|title=Breaking: Buhari decorates new Service Chiefs|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/03/breaking-buhari-decorates-new-service-chiefs/|last=Agbakwuru|first=Johnbosco|access-date=29 August 2024|work=Vanguard}} and a former Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria. He was appointed by Muhammadu Buhari on 26 January 2021.{{cite news|date=26 January 2021|title=Breaking: Meet new Service Chiefs|work=The Nation|url=https://thenationonlineng.net/breaking-meet-new-service-chiefs/|last=Oamen|first=Samuel|access-date=29 August 2024}}{{cite news|title=Buhari appoints new service chiefs|url=https://dailytrust.com/buhari-appoints-new-service-chiefs|access-date=29 August 2024|last=Olaniyi|first=Muideen|work=Daily Trust|date=26 January 2021}}{{cite news|author=Ronke Sanya Idowu|date=26 January 2021|title=Updated: President Buhari Replaces Service Chiefs {{!}} Channels Television|url=https://www.channelstv.com/2021/01/26/buhari-replaces-service-chiefs/|access-date=26 January 2021|agency=Channels TV}}
Background
Irabor was born on 5 October 1965 in Aliokpu Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. He gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna as a member of the 34 Regular Course in 1983 and was commissioned Second Lieutenant on 28 June 1986 into the Signals Corps of the Nigerian Army.
Irabor attended military and civil courses both locally and abroad. He attended Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji (AFCSC) for his Junior Staff Course in 1995 and Ghana Armed Forces Staff College, Teshi, Accra, Ghana for Senior Staff Course in 2000/2001 amongst others. He equally attended the National Defence College in Bangladesh in 2010 and Harvard Kennedy Schools of Government and Executive Education, the USA in 2012 and 2017 respectively. Irabor obtained a bachelor's degree in Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University{{cite news|last=Haruna|first=Abdulkareem|date=26 January 2021|title=What to know about Lucky Irabor, Nigeria's new Chief of Defence Staff|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/438904-what-to-know-about-lucky-irabor-nigerias-new-chief-of-defence-staff.html|access-date=29 August 2024}} and holds two Masters Degrees from University of Ghana and Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka.{{cite news|url=https://www.arise.tv/meet-nigerias-new-service-chiefs/|title=Nigeria: Meet Nigeria's New Service Chiefs|date=27 January 2021|agency=Arise TV|access-date=27 January 2021}}
Early life and education
General Irabor was raised in a military family and had his early education at the Nigerian Military School, Zaria. He later attended the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, where he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering in 1983.{{cite news|date=17 January 2023|title=Irabor: A recipe for discipline and defense|url=https://guardian.ng/opinion/irabor-a-recipe-for-discipline-and-defense/|last=Gondo|first=Gondo L.|access-date=29 August 2024|work=The Guardian}}
Awards
In October 2022, a Nigerian national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDS) Nigeria}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Irabor, Lucky}}
Category:Obafemi Awolowo University alumni
Category:University of Ghana alumni
Category:Multinational Joint Task Force Commanders
Category:Chiefs of Defence Staff (Nigeria)
Category:Commanders of the Order of the Federal Republic
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