Tinubu Asks Senate to Confirm Newly Appointed Defence, Service Chiefs

President Bola Tinubu has formally requested the Senate to screen and confirm the recently appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Service Chiefs. The request was conveyed in a letter read on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary.

In the letter, Tinubu listed the nominees as General Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General Waheedi Shaibu, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Idi Abbas, Chief of Naval Staff; Air Vice Marshal Kennedy Aneke, Chief of Air Staff; and Major-General Emmanuel Undiendeye, Chief of Defence Intelligence.

Following the reading of the letter, Akpabio referred the nominations to the Senate Committee of the Whole for screening and confirmation, scheduled to take place next week.

The development comes on the heels of a major shake-up in the military hierarchy last week, during which President Tinubu relieved General Christopher Musa of his duties and appointed General Olufemi Oluyede, a former Chief of Army Staff, as the new CDS. Major-General Undiendeye, however, retained his position as Chief of Defence Intelligence.

Presidential aide Sunday Dare stated that the changes form part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to strengthen Nigeria’s national security framework. “All appointments take immediate effect,” he confirmed.