PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has officially decorated Nigeria’s newly appointed service chiefs, charging them to confront the country’s security challenges with urgency, innovation, and unity.
The ceremony took place today in the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and was attended by top government officials, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas.
During the event, Tinubu emphasized that Nigerians are eager for peace and demand results rather than excuses.
He urged the officers to deploy modern technology, collaborate effectively, and “defeat the enemy once and for all.”
“Of grave concern to our administration is the recent emergence of new armed groups in the North-Central, North-West, and parts of the South,” the President said. “We must not allow these threats to fester. Let us smash the new snakes right in the head.”
He continued, “I charge you to be innovative, pre-emptive, and courageous. Nigerians expect results, not excuses. We cannot allow the crisis that began in 2009 to persist any longer.”
The new Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede (formerly Lieutenant General), led his colleagues in pledging loyalty to the President and commitment to strengthening national security.
He assured that the military would intensify efforts to eliminate terrorism and other criminal activities to promote peace and economic stability.
Other officers decorated included:
Lieutenant General Wahidi Shaibu– Chief of Army Staff
Vice Admiral Idi Abbas– Chief of Naval Staff
Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke – Chief of Air Staff
Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiendeye – Chief of Defence Intelligence
The wives of the newly promoted officers assisted in their husbands’ decoration during the brief but symbolic ceremony.
The Senate had confirmed the appointments yesterday following a two-hour closed-door session, after which lawmakers commended President Tinubu for selecting officers with the experience and integrity to reform the military.
Tinubu appointed the new service chiefs in October 2025 as part of a major shakeup of Nigeria’s security architecture, a move that comes amid reports of renewed security threats and efforts to modernize the nation’s defence strategy.