Abuja — The Nigerian Senate, on Wednesday, confirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s nominees for the positions of service chiefs, following a two-hour closed-door screening session at the National Assembly.
Those confirmed include General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Wahidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff, and Air Vice Marshal Kelvin Aneke as Chief of Air Staff.
President Tinubu had earlier forwarded a letter to the upper chamber requesting the screening and confirmation of the nominees. The Senate subsequently devoted its entire plenary session to the exercise, which focused on evaluating the competence and strategic plans of the new military leaders.
During the interactive session, lawmakers engaged the nominees on their visions for intelligence coordination, modernisation of military operations, inter-agency collaboration, and restoring public trust in the armed forces.
At the end of the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the nominations to a voice vote, which received unanimous approval from senators.
“The Senate had deliberations with the nominees of Mr President for the offices of Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Army Staff, and Chief of Defence Staff,” Akpabio announced after the vote.
“All the senators interacted with them, and there were various suggestions and questions from all the states of the federation, including the FCT. They answered all questions in the course of the interactions.”
Akpabio commended President Tinubu for the careful selection of the officers, describing them as men of integrity, experience, and proven capacity who had served in major operational theatres across Nigeria and abroad.
“We believe this confirmation will renew the hope of Nigerians in the restoration of national security. Although security is everybody’s business, we found them fit and capable — almost all of them emerging from theatres of war in different parts of the world and the country,” he said.
The Senate President further lauded his colleagues for devoting the entire day’s sitting to the confirmation exercise, describing it as a demonstration of patriotism and institutional responsibility.
“We congratulate President Bola Tinubu for making these choices, and also congratulate the Nigerian Senate for suspending every other item to go into this issue of screening, approval, and confirmation,” Akpabio said.
“May God Almighty guide all the service chiefs, together with the Chief of Defence Staff, to add value and enhance the security of lives and property in our nation.”
The confirmation formally validates the appointments made by President Tinubu on October 24, 2025, days after reports of a foiled coup attempt.
With the Senate’s approval, the new military chiefs are now expected to immediately assume full command of their respective services, signalling a new phase in the Federal Government’s security reforms and operational restructuring.
