.. Appoints Oluyede as New CDS
….Tell Nigerians real reasons for sacking service chiefs – ADC to Tinubu
…Tinubu acted wisely in reshuffling service chiefs if coup rumour was true – Agbakoba
President Bola Tinubu has made changes in the hierarchy of the Service Chiefs, replacing General Christopher Musa with General Olufemi Oluyede as the Chief of Defence Staff.
The President also appointed Major-General W. Shaibu as the new Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshall S.K. Aneke as the Chief of Air Staff and 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 change was announced in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President, Media & Public Communication, Sunday Dare, on Friday.
He said that the development is in furtherance of the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria to strengthen the national security architecture.
“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,” the statement said in part.
It added that all appointments take immediate effect.
The new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Oluyede only assumed office as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) last year after the death of General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.
The outgoing chiefs, including General Musa, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla and Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar had been in office since June 2023, overseeing several major operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed bandits in the north-east and north-west.
Though their tenure achieved notable successes, persistent attacks across the country have intensified calls for a shift in strategy and leadership.
Tell Nigerians real reasons for sacking service chiefs – ADC to Tinubu
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to give Nigerians a clear and honest explanation for what it called a “sudden and surprising overhaul” of the nation’s military leadership.
The opposition party’s demand follows the President’s recent sack of most of the Service Chiefs he appointed nearly two years ago.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that the reshuffle came soon after widespread rumours of an attempted coup.
Abdullahi said although the President has the constitutional right to make changes in the military hierarchy, the timing of this decision raises serious questions. He added that the government’s reaction to the coup rumours lacked clarity and created confusion among Nigerians.
According to the ADC, many of the dismissed officers had barely served three years in office, with the now-removed Chief of Defence Staff only promoted last year. The party warned that such a sweeping change could unsettle the military and threaten internal stability.
The statement further stressed that the government owes the public a full and transparent account of what truly prompted the decision. It accused the Tinubu administration of being distracted from critical national security challenges, pointing out that insurgency and banditry continue to spread across the country.
The ADC said the wholesale replacement of military heads could fuel more suspicion and conspiracy theories among citizens. It therefore called on the government to act transparently and assure the public that Nigeria’s democracy remains stable and secure.
“As an opposition party, our concern is the peace and stability of Nigeria,” the ADC said, warning that the situation in neighbouring Chad and other Sahel countries should serve as a reminder of the dangers of political distraction in times of insecurity.
Tinubu acted wisely in reshuffling service chiefs if coup rumour was true – Agbakoba
Meanwhile, Olisa Agbakoba, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to replace the nation’s service chiefs.
Speaking on ‘Politics Today’, a Channels Television programme, Agbakoba said the president made the right call, especially if reports of a planned coup were true.
Reports have linked the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary events on October 1 to an alleged military coup attempt.
But the defence headquarters (DHQ) had dismissed the reports, saying the cancellation had no links with the alleged coup attempt.
Reacting to the development, Agbakoba said the president demonstrated decisiveness that was lacking in the previous administration.
“You have a president who is prepared to take tough decisions, and we know that he likes to take tough decisions,” he said.
“I think he has done the right thing because his predecessor, the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, did not like to make such decisions and allowed his military team to stay far longer than they should have.”
The former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president added that the timing of the move was appropriate.
“So, if it is indeed true that there was a rumoured coup, I think he (Tinubu) acted sensibly by doing exactly what he has done,” he said.
“What we want to see now is the impact of that decision.”
