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The newly confirmed service chiefs have arrived at the Presidential Villa for their official decoration by President Bola Tinubu.
The ceremony is taking place at the Council Chambers of the Villa, with several dignitaries present.
Those in attendance, including members of the National Assembly leadership, governors, ministers, and other top government officials.
Read Also: Nigeria’s New Service Chiefs Pledge Improved Security
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of new service chiefs after pledging to ensure rapid improvement in the nation’s security following individual screening.
The newly confirmed service chiefs, appointed last week by President Bola Tinubu, are Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS); Major General Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Army Staff (COAS); Rear Admiral Idi Abbas, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS); and Air Vice Marshal Kennedy Aneke as the Chief of Air Staff (CAS).
Their confirmation was announced by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, after they were properly grilled in a closed-door session that lasted about two hours.
Before their confirmation, the service chiefs outlined an ambitious roadmap to reform the armed forces, strengthen inter-agency collaboration, promote local production of military hardware, and improve the welfare of troops serving in combat zones across the country.
General Oluyede, who until recently headed the Nigerian Army, said his primary mission would be to build a self-reliant, technology-driven defence system that can sustain operations without excessive dependence on imported equipment.
“We cannot continue to rely on foreign suppliers for our weapons. It is economically unsustainable and strategically risky. My focus will be to build a strong local military-industrial base that can produce what we need to defend the nation,” he told the lawmakers.
The Defence Chief, a veteran of counter-insurgency operations in Liberia, Bakassi, and Nigeria’s North-East, said he would prioritise intelligence-led warfare and ensure that joint operations between the Army, Navy, and Air Force are technology-supported and data-driven.
“Our approach will be multi-domain and multi-agency. We will strengthen night operations, train more special forces, and employ real-time intelligence to dominate all terrains,” he said.
