President Bola Tinubu on Thursday decorated the newly appointed Service Chiefs with their new ranks at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture amid persistent threats across the country.
The new helmsmen will now bear the following ranks:
Chief of Defence Staff: General Olufemi Oluyede
Chief of Army Staff: Lieutenant General Wahidi Shaibu
Chief of Naval Staff: Vice Admiral Idi Abbas
Chief of Air Staff: Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke with the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Akomaye Parker Undiendeye, was equally elevated to the rank of Lieutenant General.
Their decoration followed Wednesday’s Senate confirmation of the President’s nominations, part of ongoing efforts to recalibrate military leadership and enhance operational effectiveness.
Announcing their appointment earlier, President Tinubu expressed appreciation to the outgoing military heads for their service to the nation and charged the new chiefs to deepen professionalism, enhance vigilance, and demonstrate exceptional commitment to defending Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
He said the refreshed leadership provides an opportunity to refine operational strategies, reinforce inter-agency cooperation, and rebuild public confidence in the Armed Forces.
He noted that his administration expects measurable improvements in ongoing counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations, particularly in areas affected by Boko Haram, ISWAP, banditry, and kidnapping.
During his Senate screening, General Oluyede pledged to champion a “multi-domain, multi-agency” campaign to dominate threats across land, air, sea, and cyberspace.
He outlined priorities, including enhanced night-fighting capabilities, expanded special forces training, and real-time intelligence integration to secure battlefield advantage.
He further stressed that improved troop welfare remains critical to sustaining morale and ensuring effective performance in high-risk theatres.
The Chief of Air Staff is committed to developing a disciplined and highly responsive Air Force capable of keeping insurgent networks destabilised by degrading their planning, mobility, and strike capabilities.
The Service Chiefs collectively promised to strengthen discipline, unity, and operational synergy, while reassuring Nigerians of efforts to rebuild trust in security institutions.
They also emphasised deeper collaboration with the Police, noting that more effective internal policing would allow the military to concentrate on external defence and high-intensity counterterrorism missions, especially in the Northeast.
Security analysts say the reshuffle reflects a timely strategic reset amid complex, evolving security threats.
While some experts have called for broader defence institutional reforms, the new chiefs appear prepared to drive modernisation, enhance intelligence-sharing, and deepen regional cooperation.
Their emergence signals renewed focus on multi-dimensional operations, enhanced intelligence deployment, strengthened foreign partnerships, and improved welfare, all seen as vital to restoring operational superiority over insurgents and criminal elements.
Overall, the appointments mark a decisive step toward reinvigorating Nigeria’s military strategy, with expectations that refined doctrine, greater coordination, and improved morale will deliver meaningful gains in securing the nation.
