Breaking: Tinubu Appoints General Olufemi Oluyede as New Chief of Defence Staff, Sacks General Musa and Others
“President Bola Tinubu appoints General Olufemi Oluyede as Nigeria’s new Chief of Defence Staff, replacing General Christopher Musa, in a major reshuffle of the nation’s Service Chiefs to strengthen national security.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed General Olufemi Oluyede as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), replacing General Christopher Musa in a major shake-up within Nigeria’s military leadership.
A statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, confirmed the sweeping changes across the Armed Forces.
According to the statement, the President also approved the appointment of Major-General W. Shaibu as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke as the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), and Rear Admiral I. Abbas as the new Chief of Naval Staff (CNS).
The Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye, however, retains his position.
Dare stated that the decision was taken “in furtherance of the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s national security architecture.”
“The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, expresses his profound appreciation to the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and other Service Chiefs for their patriotic service and dedicated leadership,” the statement read.
“The President charges the newly appointed Service Chiefs to justify the confidence reposed in them, by enhancing professionalism, vigilance, and comradeship that define the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
The statement added that all appointments take immediate effect.
General Olufemi Oluyede, the new CDS, only assumed office as Chief of Army Staff last year following the death of General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.
The outgoing Service Chiefs — General Musa, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, and Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar — were appointed in June 2023 and had overseen several major military operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed bandits in Nigeria’s North-East and North-West regions.
Although their tenure recorded notable achievements, persistent insecurity across parts of the country has reportedly prompted growing calls for a change in strategy and leadership within the Armed Forces.
