President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday sacked the service chiefs and appointed their replacements.
The statement announcing their removal, signed by the special adviser to the president on media and public communication, Sunday Dare, said the action was taken in furtherance of the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen the national security architecture.
The President appointed former Army Chief, General Olufemi Oluyede, as the new Chief of Defence Staff, replacing General Christopher Musa.
The new Chief of Army Staff is Major-General W. Shaibu. Air Vice Marshal S. K. Aneke becomes Chief of Air Staff, while Rear Admiral I. Abbas is the new Chief of Naval Staff.
The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E. A. P. Undiendeye, retains his position.
President Tinubu expressed appreciation to the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, General Musa, and the other service chiefs for their patriotic service and dedicated leadership.
The President urged the newly appointed service chiefs to justify the confidence reposed in them and to further enhance the professionalism, vigilance, and comradeship that define the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“All appointments take immediate effect,” the statement said.
Those sacked with General Musa are the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar.
LEADERSHIP Weekend reports that yesterday’s changes mark the second major reshuffle of the military high command since President Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
Yesterday’s change comes amid growing public outcry as the country continues to battle terrorism, banditry, and other forms of violent crime across several regions.
General Musa and those asked to leave with him had been in office since June 2023 and oversaw several major operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed bandits in the North-East and North-West.
Security analysts are unanimous that their tenure recorded significant gains.
Despite that, continued attacks and killings in different parts of the country had fuelled calls for a change in strategy and leadership.
The changes also came a few days after widespread rumours of an attempted coup to unseat President Tinubu surfaced in the media.
Though the Defence Headquarters denied it, saying there was no such attempt, yesterday’s sacking of the
service chiefs may lend credence to the alleged coup plot.
“Their sacking is as a result of losing the loyalty of those working with them. When a commander loses the loyalty of his men, then there is no need for him to remain the commander,” a security officer told one of our correspondents.
Although the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, dismissed the report of an alleged coup, LEADERSHIP Weekend recalls that the Defence Headquarters had, on 4 October 2025, announced the arrest of 16 military officers over indiscipline and breach of service regulations.
A statement by the Acting Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, said the arrest of the 16 offenders was a routine military exercise to maintain order and discipline.
According to him, investigations revealed that their grievances stemmed largely from perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations, among other issues.
“Some of the apprehended officers had been under jurisdiction for various offences, either awaiting or undergoing trial. Their conduct was deemed incompatible with the standards of military service.
“Upon completion of investigation, indicted officers will face the full military disciplinary process in accordance with established procedures to ensure accountability and preserve professionalism within the Armed Forces,” he said.
The military high command then assured Nigerians that these actions were strictly disciplinary in nature and part of routine efforts to maintain order, discipline, and loyalty within the ranks.
Security analysts believe the shake-up may be part of a broader move to reinforce command loyalty and restore public confidence in the military.
A senior security expert told LEADERSHIP Weekend that the changes “signal the President’s intent to reassert control and ensure cohesion within the ranks after weeks of speculation.”
Another defence analyst, Ete’ekpori Mbohon, said the new appointments “could also reflect a routine strategic rotation aimed at strengthening operations against insurgency and banditry.”
Over 50 Generals to Retire
LEADERSHIP Weekend reports that the development is also expected to trigger retirements within the military hierarchy, as some senior generals who are contemporaries of the outgoing service chiefs may have to proceed on retirement in line with military tradition.
The new service chiefs, who are members of Course 40 of the Nigerian Defence Academy, will replace their predecessors who are members of Course 39, including the new Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede.
By this appointment, generals from Course 39 and some from Course 40 across the services will have to retire from their positions, as they are not expected to salute their juniors who have now been elevated above them.
LEADERSHIP Weekend reports that members of Course 39 are still in active service, occupying strategic positions such as Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) at the Service Headquarters and Commanders of tri-service institutes.
Military sources said more than 50 such generals will have to voluntarily exit the service to allow the new service chiefs to exercise control over the affairs of the military.
Profiles Of The New Service Chiefs
Gen. Olufemi Oluyede: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)
Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede is a battle-tested officer from the Infantry Corps.
He has served in various command and staff positions, including as a former Theatre Commander in the North-East.
Gen. Oluyede served as Chief of Army Staff from 30 September 2024 before being elevated to the role of CDS yesterday.
Born in Ikere, Ekiti State, in 1968, Oluyede began his military career in 1987 as a cadet in the Nigerian Defence Academy. He was officially commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1992 after completing the Nigerian Army’s training regimen.
A member of the 39th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy, alongside the late Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, his career has spanned numerous command and staff roles across Nigeria and in various international deployments.
Promoted to the rank of Major-General in 2020, he has held commands including Platoon Commander and Adjutant at 65 Battalion; Company Commander, 177 Guards Battalion; Staff Officer, Guards Brigade; Commandant, Amphibious Training School; and Commander, 27 Task Force Brigade, North-East, leading operations under Operation HADIN KAI. He succeeds Gen. Christopher Musa.
Maj.-Gen. W. Shaibu: Chief of Army Staff
Known for his field experience in counter-insurgency operations, Shaibu recently served as Theatre Commander of Operation HADIN KAI, focusing on counter-terrorism in the North-East.
He handed over command in April 2025 and proceeded to the Defence Space Agency in Abuja. During his tenure as Theatre Commander, his forces neutralised over 567 terrorists, recovered significant arms and ammunition, and rescued more than 2,225 civilians.
He was General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division, before being appointed Theatre Commander, Sector 1, Operation HADIN KAI.
He also served as Deputy Commandant and Director of Studies at the National Defence College, Abuja.
Born on 18 December 1971 in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Major General Waidi Shaibu was admitted into the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as a member of the 41 Regular Course in 1989 and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps on 17 September 1994. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the NDA, Kaduna.
AVM Sunday Kelvin Aneke: Chief of Air Staff
A career pilot with extensive flight hours, AVM Aneke was born on 20 February 1972 in Makurdi, Benue State, to the family of Air Warrant Officer Sylvester and Mrs Ngozi Aneke. He hails from Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Aneke began his military career on 10 September 1988 when he was enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 40th Regular Course. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer into the Nigerian Air Force on 10 September 1993.
He holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Physics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from the University of Calabar, a Master’s in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, a Master’s in Political Economy and Developmental Studies from the University of Abuja, and a Master’s in Strategic Studies from the Air War College, United States Air Force, Air University, Montgomery, Alabama.
He has attended various military courses, including Aeromechanical Engineering at the Officers’ Engineering School (now Air Force Institute of Technology), Ab-initio and Basic Flying Training at 301 Flying Training School (now 401 FTS), and both Junior and Senior Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.
Aneke has held numerous appointments within the Nigerian Air Force, including Administrative Officer at Aircraft Overhaul Centre, Ikeja; Group Logistics Officer, 301 Flying Training School, Kaduna; Commanding Officer, Base Services Wing, Benin; and Fleet Training Officer, Presidential Air Fleet, Abuja. He later commanded 307 Executive Airlift Group and served as Deputy Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.
He is married to Mrs Ngozi Enderline Aneke, and the marriage is blessed with three boys.
Rear Adm. Idi Abbas: Chief Of Naval Staff
Rear Admiral Idi Abbas was born on 20 September 1969 and hails from Nassarawa LGA of Kano State. A member of the 40th Regular Course, Rear Admiral Abbas enlisted in the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) on 12 September 1987 and was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant on 10 September 1993 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry.
He began his early education at Gwagwarwa Primary School, Kano, and then proceeded to Air Force Military School, Jos, from 1981 to 1986 before his admission into NDA in 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.
He attended the Officers’ Long Course (OLC XII) from January to December 2003 at NNS QUORRA Apapa Lagos, specializing in Above Water Warfare. He has held several appointments in the Nigerian Navy and served on board various NN ships as a Watch-Keeping Officer.
Some of the ships include NNS ARADU, NNS DAMISA, and NNS AYAM. Rear Admiral Idi Abbas later served as Naval Assistant to the Deputy Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji in 1998.
Rear Admiral Abbas, between 1999 and 2002, underwent Mandatory Military courses and returned to NNS DAMISA intermittently as a Watch-Keeping Officer. He was appointed Staff Officer III, Marine Services at Naval Headquarters (NHQ) in January 2004 and later Gunnery Officer NNS OHUE in 2006.
Rear Admiral Idi Abbas, between 2018 and 2022, steadily climbed the ladder of appointments in Central Naval Command, first as the Command Admin Officer (CAO), then as the Chief Staff Officer (CSO), culminating in his appointment as Flag Officer Commanding (FOC CNC) of Central Naval Command, and within this period, he also served as Commander NNS VICTORY, Calabar in 2020.
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).
He was deployed in January 2025 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.
He has earned many prestigious awards, including Passed Staff Course (psc), Fellow Defence College (fdc), Forces Service Star (fss), Meritorious Service Star (MSS), Distinguished Service Star (DSS), Grand Service Star (GSS), and Defence General Staff Medal (DGSM).
Our Expectations From New Service Chiefs – ACF
Meanwhile, the apex Northern socio-cultural organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has tasked the newly appointed service chiefs to make a difference in the fight against insecurity facing the country.
When contacted over the appointments of new Service Chiefs, ACF National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba, said the forum can only wish the new service chiefs well as such changes were the prerogative of the President.
He said, “Well, no reason is immediately available, but such changes are the prerogative of the Commander-in-Chief, and in many ways, the latest can be seen as almost a routine. The President knows why he undertook the changes.
“It remains for us to wish the new appointees well and, especially, to wish that their coming on board will make a difference in the fight against pervasive insecurity in the country,” the forum stated.
New Service Chiefs Must Avoid Politics – Experts
Also, security experts urged them to subject themselves to democratic conditions, enhance professionalism, and focus on constitutional mandates. The experts, speaking to LEADERSHIP separately, called on the Service Chiefs to avoid the temptations of truncating democratically elected governments as seen in some West African Countries.
The Managing Director, Beacon Consulting, Dr. Kabir Adamu, called on the Service Chiefs to focus on fulfilling their mandates. He said, though the reason for the change may not be in the public domain, but since the Presidency said it is to improve the security architecture, “looking at the role of the military in the security architecture, it is really the protection of Nigeria from external aggression, and then where the politicians invite them to support internal security.
“Since they are already supporting internal security, they should continue to do that, and most importantly, subject themselves to democratic conditions, given what is happening around the West African region, where four countries are being ruled by military dictatorship; they should not allow that temptation to enter the military. In simple terms, it is about fulfilling the mandate assigned to them, ensuring the professionalism of the military,”
Also speaking, the Director of Media and Publicity, International Institute of Professional Security (IIPS), Dr. Abdullahi Muhammed Jabi, urged the new service chiefs to learn from what led to the change of their immediate predecessors.
He recalled that there were rumours since last week that a coup was planned to remove the President. He said that while the federal government has not come out with a categorical statement about it, the fear of that coup might be the reason for the change.
He said the change was a strategic move by the President. “Being the country with the largest population and largest economy, and 26 years of uninterrupted democracy, Tinubu will not allow anyone to truncate democracy in the country. Everybody should be patient to see his policies mature.”
A Lagos-based civil servant, Adeola Kayode, said, “We hope the new chiefs bring discipline and accountability. Security has been a huge concern, especially with rising banditry. Nigerians want results, not just reshuffles.”
A civil society activist in Abuja, Chimeze Nduka, said, “This move cannot be entirely separated from the recent coup allegations. People are asking why such sweeping changes are happening right after talks of a failed plot surfaced. Nigerians deserve honesty; if there was nothing, then the President should just clarify instead of replacing the Chief of Defence Staff.”
A university lecturer, Dr. Emakop Nwosu, noted, “This is an opportunity to restore confidence in the military. We expect them to be more proactive in tackling insurgency and protecting civilians. Loyalty to the Constitution should always be the top priority.”
Tell Nigerians Why You Changed Service Chiefs, ADC Urges Tinubu
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be honest with Nigerians on the real reasons behind the sudden and rather abrupt change in the leadership of the Nigerian military.
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji, said this in a statement yesterday in Abuja.
He said while the party acknowledges that the President, as Commander-in-Chief, reserves the power to make such changes as he may deem fit, it is concerned that the move comes in the wake of widespread rumours of an attempted coup.
He reiterated the party’s earlier view that the government’s reaction to the dangerous rumour has veered between deliberate obfuscation and outright confusion in a matter that requires clarity.
“We note that nearly all the service chiefs that have been removed were appointed only 28 months ago, with the current Chief of Defence Staff himself appointed just a year ago as Chief of Army Staff.
“We also note that this kind of decision has serious and far-reaching implications for stability within the ranks and therefore could not have been taken without strong reasons.
“Our position remains, therefore, that the Federal Government owes Nigerians a categorical explanation about what truly happened.”
Abdullahi added that the ADC’s interest remains the stability of the country and its democracy.
The party, however, argued that in light of developments in Chad and the Sahel States, it is gravely concerned.
“Without prejudice to what might have happened in recent weeks, it is obvious that the Tinubu administration is distracted. Insecurity continues to spread, with terrorist groups staging a comeback in some parts of the country, while bandits reign supreme in others. But this is not the reason the government is changing the service chiefs. Instead, the administration’s attention appears fully focused on regime politics rather than securing the lives of Nigerians.
“This near wholesale change in the leadership of the country’s military, if anything, will only further promote rumours and conspiracy theories.
“We therefore reiterate our earlier position that the Federal Government must address the issue transparently and reassure Nigerians that our democracy is not under threat,” the ADC said.
