By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has approved major changes in the leadership of Nigeria’s Armed Forces, in a move aimed at strengthening the nation’s security architecture, Vanguard reports.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare read: “President Bola Tinubu has made changes in the hierarchy of the Service Chiefs in furtherance of the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria to strengthen the national security architecture.
“The President appointed General Olufemi Oluyede to replace General Christopher Musa as the new Chief of Defence Staff. The new Chief of Army Staff is Major-General W. Shaibu. Air Vice Marshall S.K Aneke is Chief of Air Staff while Rear Admiral I. Abbas is the new Chief of Naval Staff. Chief of Defence Intelligence Major-General E.A.P Undiendeye retains his position.
“The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, expresses most profound appreciation to the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa and the other Service Chiefs for their patriotic service, and dedicated leadership. The President charges the newly appointed Service Chiefs to justify the confidence reposed in them to further enhance the professionalism, vigilance and comradeship that define the Armed Forces of Nigeria. All appointments take immediate effect”.
Retired Military Generals react
•There’ll be excitement in the military, career progression—Gen Atolagbe
By Kingsley Omonobi, Evelyn Usman & Esther Onyegbula
Retired Military Generals in the country yesterday reacted to the sack of Service Chiefs by President Bola Tinubu, suggesting diverse reasons for the Commander-in-Chief’s action. While some welcomed the change of guard as a correction of the misnomer of the past administration of keeping service chiefs for more than two years, others argued such changes are necessary when there’s a perceived need to address ongoing security challenges and introduce fresh strategies, or align with the administration’s goals.
Some of the military generals who spoke include former Theatre commanders and General Officers Commanding across the services.
Speaking with Saturday Vanguard on the changes, one of the Generals said, “It is nothing unexpected! It’s a routine change of service chiefs, having completed their two years tenure. As usual though, people will read meanings to the announcement. I expected this change to happen by November or December this year. It is not written that service chiefs must serve for two years but it is a tradition across all services, to allow for the young officers to move up in order to prevent stagnation and forced retirements. This is routine. It means that we are back to the ideal order of doing things. Normally, Service Chiefs are appointed for a term of two years. They have served two years and in order for the services to have a steady progression without a high attrition, the two years cycle should be sustained.
“If you recall, in the past, the service chiefs stayed over five years which was a terrible misnomer which unfortunately dislocated the chain of succession in the military leading among others, to early retirement of many highly trained and qualified senior officers who would have served in those positions.. It denied many officers of possible elevation as service chiefs. This unfortunately resulted in some political maneuvers then.
Speaking in a similar vein in an interview on a television programme, Retired General Anthony Atolagbe said “there will be excitement in the military because of this change”. He argued that “it was the practice for service chiefs to serve for two years until past administrations started extending it. This change will make for career progression and this is remarkable by this administration”.
Also, a former Air Component Commander in the North East said, “Honestly, the changes of Service Chiefs weren’t entirely unexpected, especially considering the dynamics of leadership in Nigeria’s security sector. These shifts often happen when there’s a perceived need to address ongoing security challenges, introduce fresh strategies or align with the administration’s goals. It could also be linked to public pressure for improved results in tackling issues like insurgency, banditry or other national security concerns.
In his own reaction, Rear Admiral Dickson Olisemelogor (retd), said the shake-up was both necessary and timely, but stressed that results would only come if the military was granted full operational freedom. According to him, “The rejig is okay, based on the perception of the President. He is the one working directly with them and he knows why he changed them. The new Naval and Army Chiefs have both been in operations for a very long time. They are experienced officers who have served in various internal security operations across the country. We pray the new team will be given a free hand to act.”
He emphasized that the real test of leadership was in the President’s ability to empower the new team to deliver results. “For them to operate effectively, the President and the political class must come clean, give clear instructions, and allow them to carry them out,” he added.
Also reacting to the rejig of Service Chiefs, Executive Director of Rule of Law and Accountability Centre, RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said, “Changes in service leadership are within the President’s constitutional prerogative and can signal a desire to reinvigorate security operations. “However, beyond symbolism, what matters is whether the new service chiefs will bring fresh strategy, integrity, and accountability to the fight against insecurity”.
A serving senior military officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity said:”If the political class genuinely supports the military and wants this crisis to end, it will end. Once the military is given clear direction and freedom to act, there are different ways to deal with these criminal elements.”
PROFILE OF NEW SERVICE CHIEFS
The 25th Chief of Army Staff, Major General Waidi Shuaibu
Major General Waidi Shuaibu 1871 was born in Olomaboro LGA of Kogi State. He gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 41 Regular Course in 1989 and was commissioned on 17 September 1994 as a Second Lieutenant into the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps.
He graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy with a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1993. He equally holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Calabar, as well as another Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan. He also holds a Masters Degree in Security and Strategic Studies from the National Defence University in Washington. He is equally an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Programme in Leadership for the 21st century: Chaos, Conflict and Courage. He also has obtained the Advanced Executive Certificate in Applied Leadership and Strategy from the National Productivity Senior Executive Programme. He has attended many seminars on Irregular and Hybrid Warfare as well as Gray Zone Operations.
He attended the following military courses; Young Officer Course Armour 1995, Young Officers Course Infantry 1996, Company Amphibious Operation Course 1997, Platoon Commanders Course Armour 1998, Communication Instructors Course Armour 1998, Junior Staff Course Ghana 2001, Company Commanders Course Armour 2003, Senior Staff Course Jaji-Nigeria 2005/2006 and Exclusive Economic Zone Course 2007.
He has also held various appointments during the course of his career. These include Ag Chief of Training for Exercise and Training AHQ Abuja, Brigade Commander 21 Special Armoured Brigade Bama, Director Coordination National Defence College, Directing Staff National Defence College Abuja, Principal Staff Officer (Army) Defence Headquarters, Chief Instructor, Nigeria Army Armour School, Assistant Director Peace Keeping Operations Defence Headquarters, Commanding Officer 243 Battalion Monguno and Chief of Staff, 23 Brigade Headquarters, Yola as well as the Principal Staff Officer/Military Assistant to Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of Liberia.
The other appointments held are the GSO II Ops at Army Headquarters, Military Observer/Logistics Officer African Mission in Sudan, Training Officer Armed Forces Simulation Centre, ADC to General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Company Commander 242 Recce Battalion, Platoon Commander 245 Recce Battalion. He was the General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander Sector 1 Op HADIN KAI Maiduguri and until his appointment as COAS, he was serving at the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Center, Abuja.
The 25th Chief of Naval Staff – Rear Admiral Idi Abass
Rear Admiral Idi Abbas was born on 20 September 1969 in and hails from Nassarawa LGA of Kano State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) on 12 September 1987 and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on 10 September 1993 as a member of NDA 40 Regular Course with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry.
The newly appointed Chief of the Naval Staff began his early education at Gwagwarwa Primary School Kano, then proceeded to Airforce Military School Jos from 1981 – 1986 before his admission to NDA into 1987. The newly appointed CNS is an Above Water Warfare (AWW) specialist officer who has attended several military courses at home and abroad including the Sub-Lieutenant Technical Course at NNS QUORRA in 1994, the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji in 2001 and 2005 respectively. From January to December 2003, he attended the Officers’ Long Course (OLC XII) at NNS QUORRA Apapa Lagos specializing in Above Water Warfare.
Rear Admiral Abbas also attended the United Nations Military Observer Course in Tanzania in 2009 and in 2014 he graduated from the prestigious National Defence College (NDC) Abuja as a member of NDC Course 23. The newly appointed CNS has held several appointments in the Nigerian Navy. After his commissioning in 1993, he served onboard various NN ships as a Watch-Keeping Officer. In July 2023, he was appointed Chief of Naval Safety and Standard (CNASS) at NHQ and in February 2024, he became the Chief of Defence Civil Military Relations (CDCMR) and Defence Headquarters (DHQ).
In January 2025, Rear Admiral Abbas was deployed to the Nigerian Army Heritage Centre as a Senior Research Fellow, the appointment he held before his elevation to the post of 25th Chief of Naval Staff, Nigerian Navy. The newly appointed CNS is a thoroughbred professional Seaman Executive Officer who rose through all the ranks in NN before his appointment.
