In a decisive move to recalibrate Nigeria’s military leadership, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has relieved General Christopher Musa of his duties as Chief of Defence Staff, appointing General Olufemi Oluyede as his successor.
The announcement, made on Friday through a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, marks a significant shift in the nation’s defence hierarchy. It comes as part of what the Presidency described as a strategic effort to inject “renewed energy and direction” into the armed forces amid mounting security challenges across the country.
Alongside Oluyede’s appointment, the President named Major-General W. Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral I. Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff. The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye, retains his position in the restructured service command.
President Tinubu, who serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, commended the outgoing Service Chiefs, particularly General Musa, for their “patriotic service and dedicated leadership.” He expressed appreciation for their contributions during a period marked by complex internal and external security pressures.
“The President expresses profound appreciation to General Christopher Musa and the other outgoing Service Chiefs for their exemplary service and commitment to national defence,” the statement read.
In charging the new Service Chiefs, President Tinubu urged them to demonstrate “professionalism, vigilance, and unity” as they take on their new mandates. The appointments take immediate effect, signaling a formal transition within the top ranks of the military command.
General Musa had been appointed in June 2023 during Tinubu’s initial round of security sector reforms. This latest reshuffle, the second major overhaul of the military command since the administration began, underscores the government’s continued push to adapt Nigeria’s defence leadership to evolving threats and operational realities across its regions.
