Buhari salutes octogenarian Maj-Gen. Paul Tarfa

Paul Tarfa

Major General Paul Tarfa

By Nimot Sulaimon

President Muhammadu Buhari has on Thursday sent salutations to Major General Paul Tarfa (Rtd), who joined the octogenarians.

In a statement released by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media Publicity, Buhari rejoiced with the Chairman of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and a former Military Administrator of old Oyo State.

He described Tarfa as “a dedicated professional and a selfless patriot whose contributions and sacrifices for national development are worthy of emulation.”

Buhari noted the passion and commitment that Major-General Tarfa brings to bear towards the alleviation of the sufferings of Nigerians as the Chairman of the NEDC.

Thereafter, the President wished the General a longer life and excellent health in the service of God and humanity.

Paul Chabri Tarfa was born in Garkida, Adamawa state in 1941.

A member of the Nigerian Military Training Course 5, he was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as second lieutenant in October 1963.

He retired as major general in 1988.

While in the army Tarfa served as commander and staff officer in the First Battalion, Enugu, the unit which latUN Peacekeeping Contingent in the Congo.

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He was the commander of the Federal Guards during the January 1966 coup.

Tarfa then served as Battalion commander, and Brigade commander during the civil war.

He later became Assistant Adjutant General, and Provost Marshal of the Army. As provost marshall, when Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma was chief of army staff, Tarfa was given the almost impossible task of reducing traffic congestion in Lagos.

He introduced horse whip on reckless drivers and earned the nickname as ‘Koboko Colonel’.

He served as commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna under the military rule of General Murtala Mohammed (July 1975 – February 1976).

Under the Obasanjo military regime, Tarfa was posted Oyo State as Military administrator.

He was the man that handed over to Chief Bola Ige, the elected governor in October 1979.

He became director, Army Faculty, Command and Staff College, Jaji and commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy until his retirement.

When Ernest Shonekan came to power in November 1993, he headed a panel set up by the Federal Government to undertake a probe of the activities of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Out of the army, he has been living with his family in Kaduna.

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