Tinubu fires, replaces service 8chiefs·
President Bola Tinubu yesterday removed from office his service chiefs and appointed others to take their places with immediate effect.
The development came barely a week after rumours of a coup plot against the Tinubu administration spread on the country, a developmentthe Defence Headquarters promptly denied as a figment of the imagination of those who carried the reports of the purported coup.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, said that General Olufemi Oluyede is the new Chief of Defence Staff, replacing General Christopher Musa.
- It added, “The new Chief of Army Staff is Major-General W. Shaibu; Air Vice Marshall S.K. Aneke is Chief of Air Staff; while Rear Admiral I. Abbas is the new Chief of Naval Staff. Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye, retains his position.” The changes take immediate effect, the statement added.
While the removed Chief of Defence Staff Musa, is from Kaduna State, the new Army Chief, Shaibu, is from Kogi State.
President Tinubu charged the new service chiefs to justify their new roles by upholding professionalism, comradeship, and staying vigilant .
The Presidency denied that the changes had any connection to the rumored coup plot, explaining that the move was to “inject new direction” into the military.
As insecurity in the country heightens, Nigeria has come under the bashing of several online media outlets for what they call the genocidal killings of Nigerian Christians, an accusation the Nigerian government has denied.
Apparently responding to reactions to the military shakeup, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, noted,
“Service chiefs can be hired and fired by the President. He is the Commander-in-Chief. He has the power to hire and fire,” Saturday Punch reports.
