President Bola Tinubu on Thursday decorated the newly appointed service chiefs with their new ranks, tasking them to intensify the fight against insecurity and deliver tangible results.
The brief but symbolic ceremony, held at the Council Chambers of the State House in Abuja, came about an hour after the House of Representatives confirmed their appointments. The Senate had given its nod the previous day.
The new military leaders are General Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Defence Staff; Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiandeye, Chief of Defence Intelligence; Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Army Staff; Air Vice Marshal Idi Abbas, Chief of Naval Staff; and Rear Admiral Sunday Aneke, Chief of Air Staff.
While congratulating the new officers, President Tinubu said their decoration represented more than a ceremonial milestone but a call to renewed service.
“This ceremony goes beyond the symbolism of decoration,” he said. “It marks the beginning of our renewed effort to ensure the peace and security of all Nigerians.”
The president told the appointees they had been “carefully selected for this critical task” and must approach their duties with “the highest standards of commitment and dedication.”
Tinubu stressed that national security was the foundation of development. “There cannot be sufficient development if this fundamental aspect of human need is unmet,” he said, adding that citizens must feel safe to enjoy the dividends of governance.
He commended the armed forces for reclaiming territories from terrorists and rescuing kidnapped victims, praising their “patriotism, diligence and dedication.”
Turning to the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Shaibu, Tinubu acknowledged his resilience and sacrifice, recalling the officer’s recovery from battle injuries during counter-terrorism operations.
“I saw so many stories, clips online of Operation Hadin-Kai,” Tinubu said. “All of you, working together as a team, have made the country proud.”
However, he warned that the battle against insecurity was far from over, citing the rise of new armed groups in the North-central, North-west, and parts of the South.
“Security threats are constantly evolving,” he said. “We must be decisive and proactive. Let us smash the new snakes right in the head.”
The president challenged the service chiefs to act with “patriotic zeal,” insisting that Nigerians expect results, not excuses. “We are in a hurry to celebrate peace,” he said, urging them to adopt innovation and technology in their operations.
He also emphasized stronger coordination and intelligence sharing among security agencies: “Work together, exchange information effectively, and act decisively. We need to clean them up, clear them out.”
Tinubu assured the armed forces of his administration’s full backing and offered prayers for their safety. “May God continue to keep our armed forces safe,” he said.
CDS Oluyede: We’ll Do Everything Possible to Secure Nigeria
Before his decoration, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their support and pledged to intensify efforts to rid the country of insecurity.
He promised that under his leadership, the military would sustain its campaign to dismantle terrorist networks and create a safer environment for economic and social development.
After the ceremony, Oluyede reaffirmed the military’s readiness to execute President Tinubu’s directive to end insecurity. “We will do everything possible to make Nigeria more secure,” he said.
He acknowledged that terrorism, which has plagued the country since 2009, required renewed determination to defeat. “Without the support of Nigerians, we can hardly achieve anything,” he noted, urging citizens to collaborate with security forces to restore peace nationwide.
