President Bola Tinubu on Monday met with the newly appointed Service Chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, following their official appointment announcement.
Those in attendance were the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt Gen Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff, Maj Gen W. Shaibu; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral I. Abbas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke; and Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj Gen E.A.P. Undiendeye.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that President Tinubu dismissed all previous Service Chiefs barely a week after the newspaper revealed an alleged coup attempt and the secret detention of 16 senior military officers by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).
While the Presidency maintained that the decision was aimed at “strengthening Nigeria’s national security architecture,” SaharaReporters noted that the reshuffle followed weeks of tension, suspicion, and internal investigations hinting at possible disloyalty among senior officers.
In an official statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, Tinubu announced that General Olufemi Oluyede would serve as the new Chief of Defence Staff, succeeding General Christopher Musa.
Other appointments included 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 statement also confirmed that Major General E.A.P. Undiendeye would retain his position as Chief of Defence Intelligence — a decision viewed by analysts as significant, considering the DIA’s involvement in the ongoing probe into the alleged coup plot.
