President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday appointed new Service Chiefs following the sack of Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa as the Chief of Defence Staff and some others.
In a statement issued on Friday by Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Musa was replaced by Lieutenant-General Olufemi Oluyede, who until the new appointment was Chief of Army Staff.
While Major-General Waidi Shaibu was named as the new Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke is the new Chief of Air Staff and Rear Admiral Idi Abbas is the new Chief of Naval Staff.
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However, the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E.A.P Undiendeye, retained his position.
“President Bola Tinubu has made changes in the hierarchy of the Service Chiefs in furtherance of the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria to strengthen the national security architecture.
“The President appointed General Olufemi Oluyede to replace General Christopher Musa as the new Chief of Defence Staff. The new Chief of Army Staff is Major-General W. Shaibu. Air Vice Marshall S.K Aneke is Chief of Air Staff while Rear Admiral I. Abbas is the new Chief of Naval Staff. Chief of Defence Intelligence Major-General E.A.P Undiendeye retains his position.
“The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, expresses most profound appreciation to the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa and the other Service Chiefs for their patriotic service, and dedicated leadership.
“The President charges the newly appointed Service Chiefs to justify the confidence reposed in them to further enhance the professionalism, vigilance and comradeship that define the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” the Presidency’s statement said.
The change is coming barely a week after some newspapers reported that there was an alleged plot to topple the government. However, Weekend Trust could not confirm if the change was connected to the alleged coup plot.
The new service chiefs
Lieutenant-General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede
Lieutenant-General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede is a seasoned officer with a career in the Nigerian Army spanning over three decades.
A graduate of the 39th Regular Course, Oluyede has a wealth of experience in military strategy and command, and he has consistently demonstrated leadership excellence in numerous operations.
Prior to his appointment as Chief of Army Staff and the Defence Chief, he served as the 56th Commander of the Nigerian Army’s elite Infantry Corps, based in Jaji, Kaduna.
Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992 (retroactively effective from 1987), Oluyede steadily rose through the ranks of the Nigerian Army.
By September 2020, he attained the rank of Major-General. Throughout his career, Oluyede has taken on many leadership roles, including Platoon Commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, Company Commander at 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer at Guards Brigade, and Commandant of the Amphibious Training School.
General Oluyede’s record extends to significant peacekeeping and national security operations. Notably, he served with distinction in the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission in Liberia, a key deployment aimed at maintaining peace and stability in West Africa.
He further contributed to Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, focusing on protecting Nigeria’s interests in the region, and later commanded the 27 Task Force Brigade in Operation HADIN KAI, which combats insurgency in the North East of Nigeria.
Historically, Oluyede became Nigeria’s first-ever Acting Chief of Army Staff. He also holds the prestigious title of ‘Passed Staff Course,’ a hallmark of distinguished military achievement. He hails from Ekiti State.
Major-General Waidi Shaibu as army chief
Major-General Waidi Shaibu, who is the new Chief of Army Staff, has earned many honours for his meritorious service in various fields of operations. He was former Theatre Commander, Northeast ‘Operation Hadin Kai’.
He was once the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Div, Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri. During his tenure, he recorded successes in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents. After his stint as the 11th GOC 7 Div, he proceeded to the Defence Space Agency in Abuja having served for a period of 14 months.
He is a former Director of Training at the Army Headquarters Department of Training in Abuja. He is also the former commander, 21 Special Armour Brigade Bama.
He was a member of the College of International Security Affairs (CISA) before he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. He also served as principal staff officer at the Defense Headquarters Abuja.
In 2024, he received the Security Watch Award for the most outstanding defense command in Africa.
Rear Admiral Idi Abbas
Rear Admiral Idi Abbas was born on 20 September 1969 and hails from Nassarawa LGA of Kano State.
He enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) on September 12, 1987 and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on September 10, 1993, as a member of NDA 40 Regular Course with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry.
The newly appointed Chief of the Naval Staff began his early education at Gwagwarwa Primary School Kano, then proceeded to Airforce Military School Jos from 1981 – 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.
From January to December 2003, he attended the Officers’ Long Course (OLC XII) at NNS QUORRA Apapa Lagos specializing in Above Water Warfare. Rear Admiral Abbas also attended the United Nations Military Observer Course in Tanzania in 2009 and in 2014 he graduated from the prestigious National Defence College (NDC) Abuja as a member of NDC Course 23.
The newly appointed CNS has held several appointments in the Nigerian Navy. After his commissioning in 1993, he served onboard various NN ships as a Watch-Keeping Officer.
In January 2004, he was appointed Staff Officer III, Marine Services at Naval Headquarters (NHQ) and later Gunnery Officer NNS OHUE in 2006. In 2007, he became an instructor at NNS QUORRA and in 2008, he was appointed Commanding Officer Burma Battalion of NDA.
Rear Admiral Abbas later served as Base Administrative Officer of NNS PATHFINDER and Naval contingent Commander of Joint Task Force Operation SAFE HAVEN in 2010 and 2012 respectively.
He was the Maritime Guard Commander (MGC) of NIMASA in 2015 and Commander Task Group (CTG) of NN Operation Tsare-Teku in 2017.
Between 2018 and 2022, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas 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).
In January 2025, Rear Admiral Abbas was deployed 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.
The newly appointed CNS is a thoroughbred professional Seaman Executive Officer who rose through all the ranks in NN before his appointment. He became a Midshipman on 18 September 1996, 2001 and 2006 respectively he was promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant, Lieutenant-Commander and Commander.
He became a Navy Captain in September 2011, a Commodore in 2016 and a Rear Admiral on 10 September 2020.
Rear Admiral Idi Abbas enjoys playing hockey and driving. Rear Admiral Idi Abbas is married to Mrs Aisha Abbas and the marriage is blessed with two boys.
Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke
Aneke was born on 20 February 1972 in Makurdi, Benue State, but hails from Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The son of an Air Warrant Officer (Rtd) Sylvester and Mrs Ngozi Aneke, he had his early education at Army Children School, New Cantonment ‘A’, Kaduna (1976–1982) and Government College, Kaduna (1982–1987).
He was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 40th Regular Combatant Course and was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer on 10 September 1993. Air Vice Marshal Aneke holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from the University of Calabar, and two Master’s Degrees, one in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and another in Political Economy and Development Studies from the University of Abuja.
He also possesses a Professional Certificate in Aviation Safety Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida, USA, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Air Vice Marshal Aneke has attended some military institutions, including the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, where he completed the Junior and Senior Staff Courses, and the United States Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, where he earned a Master’s in Strategic Studies.
He has held numerous command, instructional, and policy appointments that shaped his operational and strategic acumen, among them Director of Policy, Director of Safety, Deputy Director of Operations at NAF Headquarters, Command Operations Officer, Tactical Air Command, and Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Until his appointment as CAS, he served as Air Officer Commanding, Mobility Command, Yenagoa.
His operational experience spans domestic and international theatres, from Operation Restore Hope in the Niger Delta to United Nations peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), where he served as Chief of Air Operations, Kindu Region.Air Vice Marshal Aneke is married to Mrs Ngozi Enderline Aneke, and their union is blessed with three sons.
Many Generals to go
Following the appointments, findings by the Weekend Trust revealed that senior military officers who are of NDA Regular Course 38, 39 and a few others in Course 40 will exit the force in line with the tradition of the military.
Sources said not less than 60 Generals are expected to begin the process of exiting their respective force after the official decoration of the newly-appointed service chiefs with their new ranks.
“The newly-appointed service chiefs will be decorated with their new ranks any moment from now. As such, their seniors, who are still in the force will exit,” one of the sources said.
Commenting on the matter when he appeared on Trust TV’s Daily Politics, a former spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Sani Usman Kukasheka (rtd), said the change is not unusual in the military, saying it is a step in the right direction to reinvigorate the fight against insecurity.
Reactions trail appointment
Reacting to the appointment, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) asked the president to be honest with Nigerians on the real reasons behind the “sudden and abrupt change in the leadership of the Nigerian military”.
In a statement issued on Friday by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, the party expressed concern that the change happened after a ‘rumoured coup plot’.
“While we acknowledge that the president, as the Commander-in-Chief, reserves the power to make such changes as he may deem fit, we are somewhat concerned that this change is coming in the wake of widespread rumours of an attempted coup.
“We reiterate our earlier view that the reactions of government to the dangerous rumour have veered between deliberate obfuscation and outright confusion in a matter that required crystal 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.
“As an opposition political party, our interest remains the stability of our country and our democracy. In the light of developments in our neighbourhood of Chad and the Sahel States, we are 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 other parts.
“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 action of 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.”
But a former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, described the shake-up in the Nigeria’s military leadership as a necessary step in the country’s fight against insecurity.
Reacting to the development on his X handle, Shehu Sani, also a human rights activist, noted that periodic changes in the leadership structure of security services are essential in order to achieve results.
Sani hinged the country’s struggle with insecurity to lack of courage by past leaders to execute such changes in the military architecture.
He, however, commended Christopher Musa for his service during his stint as Chief of Defence Staff, wishing him well in his future endeavours.
Sani wrote: “Periodic changes in the leadership structure of our security services are essential in order to achieve results.
“The lack of courage to do this in the past partly attributed to the failures of the nation’s battle against insecurity.
“For us in Kaduna, we appreciate the service and stewardship of the outgoing CDS General Musa. We are proud of his accomplishments. We wish him well in his future endeavours.”
Similarly, Nigerians took to their social media to express their feelings regarding the new appointments.
On X @reuel4real said: “Don’t you think a democratically elected president should not have power to sack military service chiefs, let the military be a standalone institution and the highest office to be attained through qualifications only to retire after service.”
@Adeshina Oluwatosin: “Wow !!! I thought General CG Musa was doing well”.
@LanreOmotosho: “Was the coup attempt real or did he just need a reason to reshuffle his Defence cabinet.”
Halisu Hasiya: “That means the coup was true if not what was his offense”.
Yusuf Abdulwahab Sani: “This is a commendable and strategic move by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his continuous effort to strengthen national security and restore lasting peace across the country.”
