Tinubu Decorates New Service Chiefs Following Senate Approval
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday formally decorated Nigeria’s newly appointed service chiefs at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The ceremony, which began shortly after 2pm, saw Tinubu joined by Vice President Kashim Shettima and the spouses of the officers, all dressed in their respective service uniforms, as they pinned the ranks on the new appointees.
The decorated officers are General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant-General Wahidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Marshal Kennedy Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Vice Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff.
Their appointments followed Senate confirmation on Wednesday, after a two-hour closed-door screening in which lawmakers questioned them on strategies to strengthen national security and enhance coordination among the armed forces. Tinubu had earlier written the red chamber, urging an expedited confirmation process to “ensure continuity in the nation’s security leadership.”
Senior government officials, lawmakers, family members of the service chiefs, and top military officers were present at the event.
The decorations come barely a week after a major reshuffle in the military hierarchy, described by the Presidency as an effort to bring fresh direction to Nigeria’s defence architecture. Major General E. A. P. Undiendeye, Chief of Defence Intelligence, retained his post.
Addressing speculation linking the reshuffle to a reported coup plot, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the President acted within his constitutional authority as Commander-in-Chief, noting that service chiefs can be appointed or removed at the President’s discretion.
Earlier on Monday, Tinubu held a private meeting with the new service chiefs at the Villa. They arrived in a black Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, escorted by a green Toyota Land Cruiser, for a 40-minute session during which they were tasked with taking decisive action against insurgents and bandits, particularly in the northern states.
The reshuffle followed an October 19 report alleging some officers were plotting to overthrow the government, a claim later dismissed by Defence Headquarters as “false and mischievous.” Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, described the alleged plot as a reflection of “issues of indiscipline” within the ranks and intended to “create unnecessary tension and distrust among the populace.”
