Nigerian Army appoints Anele as first female spokesperson

The Nigerian Army has appointed Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele as its first female Director of Army Public Relations in an acting capacity.

Anele was a one-time public relations officer in the Office of the Chief of Army Staff during the tenure of retired Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.

This is the first time a female officer has been appointed to hold such a position in the history of the Nigerian Army.

The new spokesperson would take over on April 22, from the outgoing spokesman, Maj. Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, who has been posted to the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre.

Anele is a member of the Direct Regular Course 15 and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

Apart from her role in the Office of the Chief of Army Staff, she has served as the Public Relations Officer at the Defence Space Administration (DSA) and recently served in the Department of Civil-Military Relations at the Defence Headquarters.

Her appointment marks a significant milestone in the history of the Nigerian Army and has distinguished the service as a gender responsive force.