President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday sacked the service chiefs and appointed their replacements.
The statement announcing their removal, signed by the special adviser to the president on media and public communication, Sunday Dare, said the action was taken in furtherance of the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen the national security architecture.
The President appointed former Army Chief, General Olufemi Oluyede, as the new Chief of Defence Staff, replacing General Christopher Musa.
The new Chief of Army Staff is Major-General W. Shaibu. Air Vice Marshal S. K. Aneke becomes Chief of Air Staff, while Rear Admiral I. Abbas is the new Chief of Naval Staff.
The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E. A. P. Undiendeye, retains his position.
President Tinubu expressed appreciation to the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, General Musa, and the other service chiefs for their patriotic service and dedicated leadership.
The President urged the newly appointed service chiefs to justify the confidence reposed in them and to further enhance the professionalism, vigilance, and comradeship that define the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“All appointments take immediate effect,” the statement said.
Those sacked with General Musa are the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar.
Friday’s changes mark the second major reshuffle of the military high command since President Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
Yesterday’s change comes amid growing public outcry as the country continues to battle terrorism, banditry, and other forms of violent crime across several regions.
General Musa and those asked to leave with him had been in office since June 2023 and oversaw several major operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed bandits in the North-East and North-West.
Security analysts are unanimous that their tenure recorded significant gains.
Despite that, continued attacks and killings in different parts of the country had fuelled calls for a change in strategy and leadership.
The changes also came a few days after widespread rumours of an attempted coup to unseat President Tinubu surfaced in the media.
The development is also expected to trigger retirements within the military hierarchy, as some senior generals who are contemporaries of the outgoing service chiefs may have to proceed on retirement in line with military tradition.
The new service chiefs, who are members of Course 40 of the Nigerian Defence Academy, will replace their predecessors who are members of Course 39, including the new Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede.
By this appointment, generals from Course 39 and some from Course 40 across the services will have to retire from their positions, as they are not expected to salute their juniors who have now been elevated above them.
LEADERSHIP Weekend reports that members of Course 39 are still in active service, occupying strategic positions such as Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) at the Service Headquarters and Commanders of tri-service institutes.
Military sources said more than 50 such generals will have to voluntarily exit the service to allow the new service chiefs to exercise control over the affairs of the military.
Profiles Of The New Service Chiefs
Gen. Olufemi Oluyede: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)
Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede is a battle-tested officer from the Infantry Corps.
He has served in various command and staff positions, including as a former Theatre Commander in the North-East.
Gen. Oluyede served as Chief of Army Staff from 30 September 2024 before being elevated to the role of CDS yesterday.
Born in Ikere, Ekiti State, in 1968, Oluyede began his military career in 1987 as a cadet in the Nigerian Defence Academy. He was officially commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1992 after completing the Nigerian Army’s training regimen.
A member of the 39th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy, alongside the late Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, his career has spanned numerous command and staff roles across Nigeria and in various international deployments.
Promoted to the rank of Major-General in 2020, the has held commands including Platoon Commander and Adjutant at 65 Battalion; Company Commander, 177 Guards Battalion; Staff Officer, Guards Brigade; Commandant, Amphibious Training School; and Commander, 27 Task Force Brigade, North-East, leading operations under Operation HADIN KAI. He succeeds Gen. Christopher Musa.
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