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Senate confirms Tinubu’s new service chiefs in major security reshuffle
Written By: Alaba Lambert
29 Oct 2025 07:11 PM
The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday unanimously confirmed four senior military officers nominated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the nation’s new service chiefs, completing a swift overhaul of the country’s security leadership.
The confirmation followed a two-hour closed-door screening by the Senate Committee of the Whole, during which the nominees were rigorously questioned on their plans to tackle insurgency, banditry, oil theft, and other national security threats.
Confirmed Service Chiefs
Chief of Defence Staff: Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Army Staff: Maj. Gen. Wahidi Shaibu, Chief of Naval Staff: Rear Adm. Idi Abbas, and Chief of Air Staff: Air Vice Marshal Kennedy Aneke.
The appointments were announced by President Tinubu on October 24 in a major shake-up of Nigeria’s security hierarchy, described by the presidency as a strategic move to “strengthen the national security architecture.
”Presidential Directive and Senate ActionIn a letter read on the Senate floor on Monday, October 27, President Tinubu urged lawmakers to grant “expeditious consideration” to the nominations.“I urge the Senate to give expeditious consideration to the confirmation of these distinguished officers,” the president wrote.
Following the reading, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the request to the Committee of the Whole for immediate screening, which took place during Wednesday’s plenary.
After the closed-door session, Akpabio announced that the nominees had “satisfactorily answered all questions” and were confirmed unanimously via voice vote.
Earlier on Monday, President Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with the newly appointed service chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.He charged them to uphold professionalism, vigilance, and unity within the Armed Forces, emphasizing the need for inter-agency collaboration to confront Nigeria’s multifaceted security challenges.
“You must justify the confidence reposed in you,” the president told the officers, according to a statement from the State House.
The confirmation followed a two-hour closed-door screening by the Senate Committee of the Whole, during which the nominees were rigorously questioned on their plans to tackle insurgency, banditry, oil theft, and other national security threats.
Confirmed Service Chiefs
Chief of Defence Staff: Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Army Staff: Maj. Gen. Wahidi Shaibu, Chief of Naval Staff: Rear Adm. Idi Abbas, and Chief of Air Staff: Air Vice Marshal Kennedy Aneke.
The appointments were announced by President Tinubu on October 24 in a major shake-up of Nigeria’s security hierarchy, described by the presidency as a strategic move to “strengthen the national security architecture.
”Presidential Directive and Senate ActionIn a letter read on the Senate floor on Monday, October 27, President Tinubu urged lawmakers to grant “expeditious consideration” to the nominations.“I urge the Senate to give expeditious consideration to the confirmation of these distinguished officers,” the president wrote.
Following the reading, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the request to the Committee of the Whole for immediate screening, which took place during Wednesday’s plenary.
After the closed-door session, Akpabio announced that the nominees had “satisfactorily answered all questions” and were confirmed unanimously via voice vote.
Earlier on Monday, President Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with the newly appointed service chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.He charged them to uphold professionalism, vigilance, and unity within the Armed Forces, emphasizing the need for inter-agency collaboration to confront Nigeria’s multifaceted security challenges.
“You must justify the confidence reposed in you,” the president told the officers, according to a statement from the State House.
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