President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially decorated Nigeria’s newly appointed service chiefs with their new ranks, charging them to deploy advanced technology and collaboration to end insecurity across the country once and for all.
The brief ceremony was held on Thursday at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to reforming the armed forces and restoring peace nationwide.
Those decorated include the new Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Wahidi Shaibu; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Kelvin Aneke; and Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiendeye.
The President urged them to work in unity, think innovatively, and take decisive action against insurgency, banditry, and other security threats, stressing that Nigerians are eager for results, not excuses. “You must be pre-emptive and courageous. Deploy technology where necessary and defeat the enemy once and for all,” Tinubu said.
Speaking on behalf of the newly decorated officers, General Oluyede pledged unwavering loyalty to the President and the Constitution, vowing that the military would intensify the fight against terrorism and criminality to secure Nigeria’s stability and economic future.
The decoration ceremony was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, and Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, among others.
The service chiefs were appointed earlier in October 2025 and confirmed by the Senate after a rigorous two-hour closed-door screening session. Lawmakers commended President Tinubu for choosing officers they described as capable, experienced, and credible enough to reposition Nigeria’s military.
