A wave of retirements is expected to sweep through the Nigerian Armed Forces following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision on Friday to sack the service chiefs and appoint their replacements in a sweeping overhaul of the military hierarchy.
The changes, announced in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, are part of renewed efforts to strengthen the country’s national security architecture.
Under the new appointments, former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Olufemi Oluyede, has been named Chief of Defence Staff, taking over from General Christopher Musa.
Others include Maj Gen W Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal S.K Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral I Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff.
The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E.A.P Undiendeye, retained his position.
The shake-up has immediately altered the balance within the military high command, as officers who are contemporaries of the outgoing chiefs are traditionally expected to retire.
Military sources say the development could see more than 50 senior officers voluntarily bow out of service in the coming weeks.
The newly appointed service chiefs are drawn from Course 40 of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), succeeding their predecessors from Course 39.
By long-standing military convention, officers from senior courses do not serve under their juniors, a rule that will now push many Course 39 members, who still occupy key command and staff positions, into early retirement.
According to reports, members of the affected course currently hold crucial posts such as Principal Staff Officers at Service Headquarters and Commanders of tri-service institutions.
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