SHAKE-UP IN MILITARY: Tinubu sacks service chiefs, tasks new team on vigilance

BY ORIAKU IJELE & STEPHEN GBADAMOSI

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.

According to a statement by Sunday Dare, one of the president’s spokespersons, “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. All appointments take immediate effect.”

                       NEWS SERVICE CHIEFS

1 General Olufemi Oluyede (Chief of Defence Staff)

 Until his appointment as the new CDS, Oluyede served as the Chief of Army Staff.He had also served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.The 56-year-old Oluyede is a member of the 39th Regular Course.He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987.He rose to Major-General in September 2020.Oluyede has held many commands since his commissioning as an officer.

He was Platoon Commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, Company Commander at 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer Guards Brigade, Commandant, Amphibious Training School.

General Oluyede participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and Operation HADIN KAI in the North East theatre of operations, where he commanded 27 Task Force Brigade. Oluyede has earned many honours for his meritorious service in various fields of operations.

These include the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, Passing the Staff Course, and Membership in the National Institute.

2.  Air Vice Marshal SK Aneke (Chief of Air Staff)

Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin 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. Air Vice Marshal Aneke attended Army Children School New Cantonment ‘A’ NDA Kaduna from 1976 – 1982 where he obtained his first school leaving certificate. He proceeded to Government College Kaduna from 1982 – 1987 where he obtained his West African School Certificate. Air Vice Marshal Aneke started his military career on 10 September 1988 when he was enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of 40th Regular Course. Consequently, he was commissioned as a pilot officer into the Nigerian Air Force on 10 September 1993. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (Bsc) in Physics, Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the University of Calabar, Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Masters in Political Economy and Developmental Studies from the University of Abuja and a Masters in Strategic Studies from the Air War College United State Air Force Air University Montgomery Alabama.

Air Vice Marshal Aneke has attended various military courses in the course of his career in the Nigerian Air Force. These includes the certificate in Aeromechanical Engineering from the officers Engineering School Technical Training Group (now Air Force Institute of Technology). Ab-initia Flying Training from 301 Flying Training School and Basic Flying Training from 301 Flying Training School now 401 FTS. He attended the Prestigious Armed Forces Command and Staff College where he obtained Certificates for the Junior and Senior Staff Courses respectively. Air Vice Marshal Aneke attended the United States Air Force Air University Montgomery Alabama where he obtained his Masters in Strategic Studies in the US Air War College.

 Air Vice Marshal Aneke numerous appointments in the Nigerian Air Force some of these appointments includes: Admin officer at Aircraft Overhaul Centre Aircraft Maintenance Depot Ikeja, Admin officer and Group Logistics Officer at 301 Flying Training School NAF Base Kaduna. Commanding Officer Base Services Wing Air Maritime Group Benin, Staff Officer United Nation Peace Keeping Mission on Congo (MONUC) Kishasha. Fleet Training Officer, Wing Chief Admin and Wing Chief Operations all at the Presidential Air Fleet Abuja, Group Operations Officer and later Commander 307 Executive Air Lift Group Abuja, Deputy Director Evaluation (Air) Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Command Evaluation Officer Air Training Command Kaduna, Command Operations Officer and Evaluation Officer Tactical Air Training Command Makurdi, Chief of Staff Air Training Command Kaduna, Command Operations Officer Tactical Air Command Makurdi, Director of Safety Headquarters Nigerian Air Force Abuja, Deputy Director Operations Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Director of Policy Headquarters Nigerian Air Force and he is currently the Deputy Commandant Nigerian Defence Academy (Africa’s Foremost Military University) Kaduna.

3. Maj Gen Waidi Shuaibu (Chief of Army Staff)

Major General Waidi Shuaibu has demonstrated exemplary leadership as the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai in the North East, steering numerous military and civil initiatives aimed at restoring peace, neutralizing terrorism, and stabilizing the region. His tenure has been marked not only by significant operational successes but also by infrastructural development and community engagement, affirming his commitment to comprehensive counter insurgency strategies.

From the outset of his appointment, Major General Waidi Shuaibu prioritized the enhancement of operational capacity within the theatre. He oversaw the refurbishment and upgrade of military hardware, including fixing ten VP 1 Type 89 APCs, five BMPs, three Steyr APCs, six Camel MRAPs, and other vital equipment belonging to various units such as 199 Special Forces Battalion and 25 Brigade. These efforts were in preparation for the 2024 dry season operations, ensuring the troops had the necessary assets to effectively combat insurgents and carry out their missions.

One of the remarkable feats under his leadership was the successful deep clearance operations into the Sambisa Forest and the TumbuKtu Triangle in February 2024. These operations significantly degraded terrorist and their hideouts as well as supply routes. Furthermore, the orchestrated in theatre Local Community Policing and Peace Enforcement (LCPPE), which took place from 12 to 17 February 2024, helped foster trust with local communities and created an environment conducive to peacebuilding activities.

 Major General Waidi Shuaibu’s operational achievements are vividly illustrated by the neutralization of over 567 terrorists associated with JAS and ISWAP from February 2024 to date. These targeted assaults coupled with meticulous intelligence gathering resulted in the recovery of 492 assorted weapons, over 10,714 rounds of ammunition, and numerous high value items including general purpose machine guns, rifles, and various explosives. His forces also confiscated large caches of communication devices, including 54 Baofeng radios and 332 mobile phones, disrupting terrorist command and control communications.

The success of counter-terrorism activities extended beyond weapon captures. Under his command, the military rescued over 2,225 civilians from terrorist enclaves. Additionally, more than 9,800 patrols, nearly 2,700 ambushes, and over 990 clearance and offensive operations were carried out, significantly weakening enemy strongholds and restoring safety to the civilian population. Through intensive interdiction NAF Air Component operations conducting 232 missions across 230 sorties, clocking more than 567 hours of flight time the air component remained a force multiplier in the fight.

Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) played a crucial role; the Nigerian Air Force UAV command executed 760 ISR missions totaling 6,674 flight hours, providing real-time intelligence and enabling precision strikes. This synergy of air and ground operations facilitated the arrest of over 161 terrorists’ logisticians and the surrender of an astounding 121,012 fighters along with their families, which marked a paradigm shift in the theatre’s counter-insurgency efforts.

 Other Key activities were the successful conduct of Operation Desert Sanity III (February to June 2024), aimed at degrading insurgent networks, coupled with the ongoing efforts in community stabilization. The release of over 4,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kukawa after successful stabilization operations exemplifies the tangible peace dividends under his leadership.

 Infrastructure and civil-military cooperation also saw notable progress. The renovation and upgrading of the Headquarters JTF (NE) office complex, construction and furnishing of escort and drivers’ lounges, and the refurbishment of Soldier’s accommodation in the Theatre Command fostered operational efficiency and morale.

In the domain of civil-military engagement, the Theatre Commander organized the Quranic Recitation Competition, which sought to promote harmony and spiritual resilience among the troops and communities. This initiative was complemented by training activities such as IED awareness, detection courses for officers, and specialized weapon handling training for Civil Defense personnel, reflecting his holistic approach to security.

The theatre’s successes extended to high-profile counter-terrorism operations, which involved neutralizing key terrorists leaders including Tahir Baga and Abu Rijal in May and September 2024 respectively. The decapitation strategy, alongside community engagement, significantly weakened the terrorists’ leadership hierarchy.

In recognition of these efforts, the Nigerian military’s North East Theatre under Major General Waidi Shuaibu received the Security Watch Award in December 2024 the most outstanding defense command in Africa an accolade that underscored the effectiveness of his leadership.

4. Rear Admiral I. Abbas

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas, born on September 20, 1969, hails from Nassarawa LGA of Kano State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) on September 12, 1987 and was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant on 10 September 1993 as a member of NDA 40 Regular Course with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry.

The newly appointed Chief of the Naval Staff 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.

The newly appointed CNS has held several appointments in the Nigerian Navy.

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.

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas is a practicing Muslim who is married to Mrs Aisha Abbas, and the marriage is blessed with two boys.