Newly Appointed Service Chiefs Arrive National Assembly for Senate Screening

The newly appointed Service Chiefs on Wednesday arrived at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja for their screening by the Senate — a crucial step in President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing shake-up of the nation’s military leadership.

Led by the nominee for Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, the top military officers arrived at the Senate wing around 10 a.m., accompanied by senior aides and high-ranking officers. Their appearance came after the Senate moved the screening date forward from next week to Wednesday, October 29, to fast-track the confirmation process.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, while presiding over Tuesday’s plenary, disclosed the change after reading a letter from President Tinubu seeking the lawmakers’ approval of his nominees. Akpabio explained that the rescheduling was necessary to enable the Service Chiefs to assume their duties without delay.

“The change in date is necessary to enable the military chiefs to assume their duties immediately,” Akpabio told senators.

In his letter to the Senate, President Tinubu urged expeditious confirmation of the nominees to ensure “continuity and effective coordination of the nation’s security architecture.”

The move follows the President’s major overhaul of the Armed Forces leadership on October 24 — a decision widely regarded as an attempt to inject renewed vigour and strategic focus into Nigeria’s fight against insurgency and banditry.

Under the new appointments, General Olufemi Oluyede succeeds General Christopher Musa as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Major-General W. Shaibu becomes the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke takes over as Chief of Air Staff (CAS), and Rear Admiral I. Abbas assumes office as Chief of Naval Staff (CNS). Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye retains his role as Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI).

According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Mr Sunday Dare, the appointments take immediate effect.

General Oluyede’s nomination marks a swift rise in the military hierarchy, having only recently been appointed Chief of Army Staff following the death of General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja last year.

The outgoing Service Chiefs — General Christopher Musa, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, and Air Marshal Bala Abubakar — were appointed in June 2023. During their tenure, they led major counterterrorism operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandit networks across the North-East and North-West.

While their leadership saw notable successes, continued attacks by insurgents and criminal groups spurred public pressure for a change in strategy and personnel — a demand President Tinubu appears intent on addressing through the latest reshuffle.

With the Senate’s screening underway, attention now turns to how swiftly the new military hierarchy can translate its mandate into strengthened security coordination and tangible improvements on the ground.