President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, held a closed-door meeting with the newly appointed Service Chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The military officers, dressed in full green camouflage, arrived together at about 4 p.m. in a black Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, accompanied by a green Toyota Land Cruiser escort. Upon arrival at the Aso Rock forecourt, they were received by security personnel who ushered them into the main building for deliberations. The meeting lasted approximately 40 minutes, after which the officers departed in the same convoy around 4:40 p.m.
Those present included 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.
President Tinubu had earlier, on October 24, 2025, approved significant changes in the nation’s military leadership. The move, according to his Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, was aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security framework and enhancing operational efficiency across the Armed Forces.
Under the new arrangement, General Olufemi Oluyede succeeds General Christopher Musa as Chief of Defence Staff. Major-General W. Shaibu was appointed Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke became Chief of Air Staff, while Rear Admiral I. Abbas took over as Chief of Naval Staff. Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye retained his role as Chief of Defence Intelligence.
In his statement, Tinubu commended the outgoing Service Chiefs for their patriotic service and steadfast leadership, noting their contribution to national security during their tenure. He urged the new appointees to build on their predecessors’ achievements and demonstrate the discipline and unity that define Nigeria’s military tradition.
The President further charged them to justify the trust placed in them by upholding professionalism, maintaining vigilance, and fostering stronger collaboration within the Armed Forces to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty and ensure peace across all regions.
