- As terrorists Now Use Drones To Attack Military Bases In N’East, Zulum Warns
President Bola Tinubu on Friday approved sweeping changes in the leadership of the Armed Forces amid renewed coup rumours and growing concerns over loyalty within the military.
Announcing the reshuffle, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, stated that the move was a routine administrative exercise aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and enhancing command efficiency.
Under the new appointments, General Olufemi Oluyede becomes Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General W. Shaibu is the new Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke takes over as Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral I. Abbas assumes office as Chief of Naval Staff. The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye, retains his position.
Tinubu, in a post on X, urged the new service chiefs to “deepen professionalism, vigilance, and unity” in the Armed Forces, while commending their predecessors for their “patriotic service.”
The shake-up comes amid persistent speculation about discontent in the military and reports of alleged coup plots — claims repeatedly denied by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ). The Presidency dismissed suggestions of crisis, insisting the changes were “routine and constitutional.”
Analysts, however, say that the recurring coup rumours reflect deeper public unease over economic hardship, insecurity, and a weakening of trust in governance.
The DHQ has repeatedly affirmed its loyalty to President Tinubu and Nigeria’s constitutional democracy, warning that fake coup reports are as destabilising as coups themselves.
Meanwhile, in Borno State, Governor Babagana Zulum raised alarm over the use of drones by Boko Haram in recent attacks on military bases in Mafa, Dikwa, and Gajino, describing it as “a dangerous escalation” of the insurgency.
Zulum urged the Federal Government to review Nigerian Air Force safety mechanisms and called on border communities to stay vigilant as terrorists adopt new tactics in the North-East.
