The Nigerian Senate has confirmed the appointment of Lieutenant-General Olufemi Oluyede as the new Chief of Defence Staff, alongside three other top officers nominated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The confirmation came after a four-hour closed-door screening session on Wednesday at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, attended by the nominees under tight security.

The other confirmed service chiefs include Major-General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff, and Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke as Chief of Air Staff.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the session, described the screening as a “constitutional responsibility” to ensure that only competent officers are entrusted with Nigeria’s defence leadership.

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

He noted that the Senate’s screening was not merely a formality but part of its oversight duty to uphold discipline, accountability, and professionalism within the Armed Forces.

The confirmation followed President Tinubu’s letter to the Red Chamber on Tuesday, urging senators to give “expeditious consideration” to the appointments.

The newly confirmed officers are expected to be formally decorated with their new ranks by President Tinubu in the coming days.

Their appointments come amid a sweeping military restructuring aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s national security architecture and improving coordination among the armed services.

A Presidency statement earlier described the move as part of the administration’s commitment to “enhancing efficiency, inter-agency collaboration, and public confidence in the Armed Forces.”

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