Senate Confirms President Tinubu’s Nominees as New Service Chiefs.
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu Democracy Newsline Newspaper/October 29, 2025
In a historic plenary session held at the National Assembly complex in Abuja today, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria confirmed the nominees of President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as the nation’s new service chiefs.
The confirmation came after an intensive screening exercise that spanned several hours, during which senators engaged the nominees in both open and closed-door sessions. The new service chiefs confirmed include:
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Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Defence Staff
Major-General W. Shaibu, Chief of Army Staff
Rear Admiral I. Abbas, Chief of Naval Staff
Air Vice Marshal S. K. Aneke, Chief of Air Staff
The screening was described as thorough, focusing on national security challenges, strategic defence policies, and the welfare of officers and men of the Armed Forces. Senators sought detailed responses on counterterrorism operations, inter-agency collaboration, and the modernization of Nigeria’s military capability.
During the plenary, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, commended President Tinubu for what he described as a demonstration of visionary leadership and commitment to national security.
“We must thank Mr. President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for bringing forward the best among our military to serve as service chiefs,” Senator Barau remarked. “This is what good leadership is about—recognizing merit, competence, and patriotism. The nominees before us today represent the finest traditions of our Armed Forces.”
The Deputy Senate President emphasized that the nominations reflect President Tinubu’s resolve to strengthen the nation’s defence architecture and ensure peace across all regions of the country.
“Listening to these officers today, I am highly convinced that the military of this country will be better than before,” he said. “Their wealth of experience and dedication give us confidence that Nigeria’s security situation will see remarkable improvement under their watch.”
Senator Barau also expressed gratitude to the President for nominating one of the new service chiefs from Kano State, noting the pride and joy this gesture has brought to the people of the state.
“In particular, I want to thank Mr. President for identifying one of our own from Kano State—the political capital of Northern Nigeria. The people of Kano are truly grateful for this recognition. We are proud that one of the best in the Nigerian military hails from our state,” he added.
The Senate collectively charged the newly confirmed service chiefs to uphold their oath of office, remain loyal to the Commander-in-Chief, and abide by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Senator Barau concluded by expressing optimism that with these appointments, President Tinubu’s vision of achieving total security and stability across the nation would soon be realized.
“We have no doubt that with these officers at the helm, Mr. President’s determination to bring lasting peace and security to Nigeria will be fulfilled,” he said.
The confirmation of the new service chiefs marks a critical step in the Tinubu administration’s ongoing efforts to reposition the Nigerian Armed Forces for greater efficiency, professionalism, and responsiveness to the complex security challenges facing the nation.
