Reshuffling of Service Chiefs: Tinubu Acted Sensibly If Coup Rumour Was True — Olisa Agbakoba

Olisa Agbakoba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has backed President Bola Tinubu’s recent decision to reshuffle the nation’s service chiefs, describing the move as a wise and timely action, particularly if reports of a planned coup were true.

President Tinubu announced a major overhaul of the armed forces on Friday, appointing new service chiefs, including a fresh Chief of Defence Staff, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security framework.

Speaking on Channels Television’s *Politics Today*, Agbakoba said the president’s decision showed decisiveness and readiness to make difficult choices. He contrasted Tinubu’s approach with that of former President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he accused of keeping his military leadership team in place for too long.

“You have a president who is prepared to take tough decisions, and we know that he likes to take tough decisions,” Agbakoba said. “His predecessor, the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, did not like to make such decisions and allowed his military team to stay far longer than they should have.”

Reports have linked the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day celebration on October 1 to an alleged coup attempt, although the Defence Headquarters denied any connection between the two events.

Agbakoba noted that if the rumours were indeed true, Tinubu acted prudently. “If it is indeed true that there was a rumoured coup, I think he acted sensibly by doing exactly what he has done,” he said. “What we want to see now is the impact of that decision.”