President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced a sweeping reshuffle of Nigeria’s military leadership amid growing regional instability and renewed speculation over coup plots across West Africa.
In a statement released on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, the President appointed General Olufemi Oluyede as the new Chief of Defence Staff, replacing General Christopher Musa.
Other key appointments include 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.
According to the statement, President Tinubu expressed deep appreciation to the outgoing service chiefs for their “patriotic service and dedicated leadership,” while urging the newly appointed officers to “justify the confidence reposed in them by enhancing professionalism, vigilance, and comradeship within the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
This marks the second major shake-up in the military hierarchy since Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
The decision comes amid heightened concerns over loyalty within the armed forces, as well as the resurgence of military coups in parts of West and Central Africa notably in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali.
Analysts suggest the move reflects Tinubu’s broader strategy to reassert civilian control over the military and reinforce the country’s security architecture in the face of persistent threats ranging from terrorism and banditry to regional instability.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and a key player in the ECOWAS bloc, has been at the forefront of efforts to restore democratic governance in neighboring states following a spate of military takeovers.
The leadership change is therefore being viewed as both a domestic security measure and a signal of stability to international partners and regional allies.
With the new appointments, attention now turns to how the reconstituted military command will respond to Nigeria’s complex security landscape and whether the reshuffle will succeed in restoring confidence amid growing public unease and regional tension.
