Senate Screens, Confirms Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff, marking the beginning of the screening of newly appointed service chiefs at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

Oluyede was confirmed less than an hour after arriving at the Red Chamber, alongside other nominees, amid heavy security presence.

Welcoming the officers to the chamber, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the screening as a constitutional duty of the legislature to ensure discipline and professionalism in the Armed Forces.

“Distinguished colleagues, it is with great pleasure that I welcome our newly appointed Service Chiefs to the hallowed chamber of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. On behalf of the entire Senate, I congratulate you on your well-deserved appointments and commend you for the years of dedicated service you have rendered to our great nation,” Akpabio said.

He added that the exercise was aimed at ensuring “only the most competent, patriotic, and disciplined officers are entrusted with the task of safeguarding our national security and territorial integrity.”

Leading the delegation, Oluyede arrived at the National Assembly at about 10 a.m., accompanied by other senior officers. The screening exercise was conducted by the Committee of the Whole, presided over by Akpabio.

The appearance followed a letter from President Bola Tinubu, which was read during Tuesday’s plenary, urging senators to give “expeditious consideration” to the nominations.

The nominees include:

General Olufemi Oluyede – Chief of Defence Staff

Major General Waheedi Shaibu – Chief of Army Staff

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas – Chief of Naval Staff

Air Vice Marshal Kennedy Aneke – Chief of Air Staff

Major General Emmanuel Undiendeye – Chief of Defence Intelligence

Tinubu’s Security Overhaul

The screening came a week after President Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with the new service chiefs at the Presidential Villa, his first official engagement with the military high command since announcing a sweeping shake-up of the Armed Forces.

According to the Presidency, the appointments are part of the administration’s strategy to strengthen the national security architecture and improve coordination between military and intelligence agencies.

Tinubu had earlier commended the outgoing service chiefs for their “patriotic service and leadership” and urged their successors to justify the confidence reposed in them by upholding unity, vigilance, and professionalism.