President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria appointed new service chiefs on Monday, three weeks after his inauguration, and ordered them to begin work immediately after removing all previous ones.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the immediate retirement of all Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police, Advisers, Comptroller-General of Customs from Service as well as their replacements with immediate effect,” said a statement by Willie Bassey, the Director of Information on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.
Those affected in the unprecedented shakeup include Alkali Usman who was removed as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Lucky Irabor, sacked as the Chief of Defence Staff; Faruk Yahaya, retired as the Chief of Army Staff; Awwal Gambo, removed as the Chief of Naval Staff; and Isiaka Amao, retired as Chief of Air Staff.
The President subsequently appointed new service chiefs in the country and named a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, as his new National Security Adviser (NSA). Ribadu replaces Babagana Monguno as the nation’s NSA.
Maj. Gen. C.G Musa is now the Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen T. A Lagbaja is now the Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla now the Chief of Naval Staff, AVM H.B Abubakar now the Chief of Air Staff, DIG Kayode Egbetokun now the Acting Inspector-General of Police and Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye is now the Chief of Defense Intelligence.
Tinubu also approved the appointment of Adeniyi Adewale as the Acting Comptroller General of Customs. He takes over from Hameed Ali.
“It is to be noted that the appointed Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Comptroller General of Customs are to act in their positions, pending their confirmation in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Bassey stressed.
The move by the President followed persistent calls by civil society organisations that the security architecture be rejigged and fresh hands allowed to handle the nation’s security apparatus.
Between May 2015 and May 2023, verifiable data showed that over 55,000 Nigerians were killed by terrorists, bandits, and armed gangs during the administration of immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari. The former military head of state was criticised by many over the alarming killings in the country under his watch.
During his inauguration speech, Tinubu, who took over from Buhari, his fellow party man on May 29, 2023, promised to “defend the nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of our country”, adding that “to effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security doctrine and its architecture”.
Tinubu had previously suspended Abdulrasheed Bawa as EFCC chairman and Godwin Emefiele as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
See full list:
| Newly appointed Service Chiefs | ||
| 1 | Mallam Nuhu Ribadu | National Security Adviser (NSA) |
| 2 | Maj. Gen. C.G Musa | Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) |
| 3 | Maj. Gen. T. A Lagbaja | Chief of Army Staff (COAS) |
| 4 | Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla | Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) |
| 5 | AVM H.B Abubakar | Chief of Air Staff (CAS) |
| 6 | DIG Kayode Egbetokun | Ag Inspector-General of Police |
| 7 | Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye | Chief of Defense Intelligence |
| Other appointments | ||
| 1 | Col. Adebisi Onasanya | Brigade of Guards Commander |
| 2 | Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf | 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja |
| 3 | Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa | 177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State |
| 4 | Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim | 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger |
| 5 | Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote | 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja |
| 6 | Maj. Isa Farouk Audu (N/14695) | Commanding Officer State House Artillery |
| 7 | Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (N/16183) | Second-in-Command, State House Artillery |
| 8 | Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (N/14656) | Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence |
| 9 | Maj. T. S. Adeola (N/12860) | Commanding Officer, State House Armament |
| 10 | Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578) | Second-in- Command, State House Armament |
| 11 | Hadiza Bala Usman | Special Adviser, Policy Coordination |
| 12 | Hannatu Musa Musawa | Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy |
| 13 | Sen. Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel | Senior Special Assistant , National Assembly Matters (Senate) |
| 14 | Hon. (Barr) Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim | Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (HoR) |