Oluyede Appointed New CDS As Tinubu Removes Musa, Others

President Tinubu Appoints General Olufemi Oluyede as New Chief of Defence Staff
Updated October 24, 2025

President Bola Tinubu has approved a major shake-up in the hierarchy of the Armed Forces, appointing General Olufemi Oluyede as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to replace General Christopher Musa.

In the same announcement, the President named Major-General W. Shaibu as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke as the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), and Rear Admiral I. Abbas as the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS).

The Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye, retains his position.

The appointments were contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare.

According to the statement, the move is part of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s national security architecture and enhance operational efficiency within the Armed Forces.

“The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, expresses profound appreciation to the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and the other Service Chiefs for their patriotic service and dedicated leadership.

He charges the newly appointed Service Chiefs to justify the confidence reposed in them by further deepening professionalism, vigilance, and comradeship within the Armed Forces,” the statement read in part.

It added that all appointments take immediate effect.

General Oluyede previously served as the Chief of Army Staff, a position he assumed last year following the death of General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.

The outgoing Service Chiefs — General Musa, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, and Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar — were appointed in June 2023 and led several significant operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed bandits in the North-East and North-West.

Although their tenure recorded notable gains, the persistence of security challenges across various parts of the country has fueled calls for a change in leadership and strategy, prompting the latest reorganization.

Source Video: Channels News