By SCM Staff Writer I Monday, Oct. 27, 2027
ABUJA: New broom, new army! Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has performed a stunning military shake-up, unveiling his entirely new line-up of Service Chiefs in a dramatic bid to end the West African nation’s deadly terror wars.
The powerful new commanders were presented to the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday in a changing of the guard many hope signals a major turning point for the troubled nation.
Top of the new command structure is Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, who takes the reins as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Oluyede now commands the entire Nigerian military machine, facing a fearsome brief that includes crushing Boko Haram and ISIS-linked militants in the North-East, battling vicious bandits who control swathes of the country, and taming separatist tensions.
The President personally met the six top brass who will form his frontline “Army of Heroes,” all nominated to take over immediately and launch a fresh offensive against insecurity.
Joining the new CDS is Major General Waidi Shaibu, the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who must hit the ground running to boost troop morale and tackle ground operations.
Rear Admiral Idi Abbas takes charge of naval operations as the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), while Air Vice Marshal Sunday Aneke will pilot the air war as the Chief of Air Staff (CAS).
Also present was the new intelligence head, Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye, the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), whose spy work will be crucial in rooting out hidden terror cells.
President Tinubu—nicknamed the “Jagaban”—has put the security crisis at the top of his agenda, vowing to dismantle the terror networks that have claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions over the past decade.
Insiders suggest the swift and wholesale replacement of the military leadership is a sign that Tinubu means business and is demanding immediate results from his new, hand-picked fighting force.
President Tinubu, who took office earlier this year, campaigned heavily on a promise to restore peace and stability to Nigeria. The nation has been grappling with multiple, severe security crises, including:
The Boko Haram and ISWAP Insurgency: In the North-East, extremist groups continue to wage a brutal war, despite years of military intervention.
Mass Kidnappings and Banditry: In the North-West and North-Central regions, heavily armed criminal gangs (bandits) conduct frequent mass abductions for ransom, destabilizing agriculture and commerce.
Separatist Agitations: In the South-East, unrest and violent clashes linked to secessionist movements challenge federal authority.
These challenges led to the previous security structure being seen as exhausted and ineffective by many Nigerians.
The complete overhaul—replacing the Chief of Defence Staff, and the heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force—is the President’s attempt to inject new strategy, energy, and commitment into the war efforts.
This new team is under immense pressure to deliver a quick and decisive victory against all forms of terror and criminality.
