In a historic move, the Nigerian Army has appointed Lieutenant Colonel Anele Onyinyechi Appolonia as the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, the first female officer to hold the position.
Lt Col Anele, a member of Direct Regular Course 15 and an active member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), will officially assume office on 22 April 2025. She takes over from Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, who has been redeployed to the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre.
Prior to her new appointment, Lt Col Anele served as the Public Relations Officer at the Office of the Chief of Army Staff. She was most recently deployed to the Department of Civil-Military Relations at Defence Headquarters, where she distinguished herself in various strategic communication roles.
Her appointment marks a significant milestone in the history of the Nigerian Army and underscores the service’s growing recognition of the vital contributions of female officers in strategic leadership positions.