President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sworn in the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the newly appointed Service Chiefs, including the heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force at a brief ceremony held in the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.
The event followed the Senate’s confirmation of their appointments during plenary on Wednesday, marking the final step in their official assumption of office.
The swearing-in and decoration ceremony is taking place six weeks after their appointment on June 19, 2023.
During the ceremony, the newly confirmed military leaders were decorated with their new ranks to reflect their elevated positions.
Those decorated include; General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiendeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Air Marshal Kevin Aneke as Chief of Air Staff (CAS) and Vice Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff (CNS).
President Tinubu, who had announced the replacement of the Service Chiefs last Friday, said the move was part of his administration’s efforts to refocus and strengthen Nigeria’s national security architecture.
In a post shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, @officialABAT, the President charged the new Service Chiefs to “deepen professionalism, vigilance, and unity within the Armed Forces as they serve the nation with honour.”
The ceremony underscores Tinubu’s ongoing commitment to repositioning the military for greater effectiveness in tackling security challenges across the country.
