Tinubu’s new service chiefs arrive Senate for screening
By Jeffrey Agbo
Nigeria’s newly appointed Service Chiefs appeared before the Senate for screening on Wednesday morning, following President Bola Tinubu’s recent overhaul of the military’s top hierarchy.
The officers, led by Chief of Defence Staff–designate General Olufemi Oluyede, arrived at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja around 10 a.m., accompanied by other senior military officials.
Their appearance came after the Senate hastily advanced the screening to October 29, reversing an earlier plan to hold it next week. Senate President Godswill Akpabio explained that the decision was made to enable the new Service Chiefs to take charge without administrative delays.
The session followed Tinubu’s formal request for the Senate’s confirmation of General Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff. The President also sought approval for the appointments of Major-General W. Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal S. K. Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral I. Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff.
Tinubu had urged lawmakers to expedite the process “to ensure continuity and effective coordination of the nation’s security framework.”
The appointments, announced on October 24, took immediate effect, according to a statement issued by Sunday Dare, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication. Major-General E. A. P. Undiendeye will remain in his post as Chief of Defence Intelligence.
General Oluyede, who became Chief of Army Staff last year after the death of General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, now replaces General Christopher Musa as the nation’s top military officer.
The outgoing chiefs—General Musa, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, and Air Marshal Bala Abubakar—had served since June 2023, overseeing major counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed bandits in the North-East and North-West.
While their tenure delivered significant progress on several fronts, the persistence of violent attacks nationwide has amplified public demand for a shift in security strategy and leadership direction.
