Meet The New Chief Of Army Staff, Chief Of Naval Staff and Chief Of Air Staff

President Bola Tinubu has made changes in the hierarchy of the Service Chiefs in furtherance of the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria to strengthen the national security architecture.

The President appointed General Olufemi Oluyede to replace General Christopher Musa as the new Chief of Defence Staff. 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 President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, expresses most profound appreciation to the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa and the other Service Chiefs for their patriotic service, and dedicated leadership.

The President charges the newly appointed Service Chiefs to justify the confidence reposed in them to further enhance the professionalism, vigilance and comradeship that define the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

All appointments take immediate effect.

PROFILE OF THE NEW CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF, NIGERIAN ARMY, MAJOR GENERAL WAIDI SHAIBU

Major General Waidi Shaibu, DSS DSO(LR) FTAM psc fdc(+) CM FCM FCMH MSS MA MNIM, the new Chief of Army Staff, Nigerian Army, was born on 18 December 1971 in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State. He gained admission into the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, as a member of the 41 Regular Course in 1989 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Nigerian Army Armour Corps on 17 September 1994.

A highly accomplished scholar-soldier, Major General Shaibu holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the NDA (1993), a Postgraduate Certificate in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Calabar, and a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Security and Strategic Studies from the National Defence University, Washington, D.C., United States of America. An alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Programme in Leadership for the 21st Century: Chaos, Conflict and Courage, he further obtained an Advanced Executive Certificate in Applied Leadership and Strategy from the National Productivity Senior Executive Programme. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Strategic Studies at the University of Ibadan.

Throughout his illustrious military career, Major General Shaibu has attended several professional and military courses both locally and internationally. These include the Young Officers Course (Armour) at the Nigerian Army Armour School, Bauchi (1995); Young Officers Course (Infantry) at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji (1996); Company Amphibious Operation Course at the Amphibious Training School, Calabar (1997); Platoon Commanders Course (Armour), Communication Instructors Course (Armour), Junior and Senior Staff Courses, Company Commanders and Battalion Commanders Courses, and several advanced programmes in defence management and counter-terrorism in Kenya and the United States. His participation in the Counter Terrorism Fellows Programme at the College of International Security Affairs, Washington, DC, USA, (2017) further deepened his expertise in strategic leadership and operational planning.

Operationally, Major General Shaibu has played critical roles in numerous national and international military engagements. He has participated in Operations HARMONY, BOYONA, ZAMAN LAFIYA, LAFIYA DOLE, TURA TAKAIBANGO, HADIN KAI, DESERT and LAKE SANITY. His international assignments include the African Mission in Sudan, the United Nations Mission in Liberia and Nigeria’s Foreign Training Assistance Mission to Liberia, where he demonstrated exceptional professionalism and leadership.

In the course of his distinguished service, he has held several command, instructional and staff appointments of great importance. These include Platoon Commander, 245 Recce Battalion; ADC to General Officer Commanding 3 Division; GSO II Operations at Army Headquarters; Principal Staff Officer/Military Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of Liberia; Company Commander, 242 Recce Battalion; Chief of Staff, 23 Brigade Headquarters, Yola; Chief Instructor, Nigerian Army Armour School; Director Coordination and Directing Staff, National Defence College, Abuja; Commander, 21 Special Armoured Brigade, Bama; and General Officer Commanding 7 Division/Commander Sector 1, Operation HADIN KAI. He also served as Acting Chief of Training for Exercises and Training at Army Headquarters, Director of Defence Administration at Defence Space Administration, and Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI. Until his recent appointment as Chief of Army Staff, he was the Director of Armour Research at the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre.

A highly decorated officer, Major General Shaibu has been conferred with several military honours and awards, including the Distinguished Service Star (DSS), Distinguished Service Order (LR), Foreign Training Assistance Medal (FTAM), Pass Staff College (psc), Fellow National Defence College (fdc+), Command Medal (CM), Purple Heart Medal for Counter-Insurgency Operations in the North East, Field Command Medal (FCM), Field Command Medal of Honour (FCMH), General Operations Medal (GOM), and Defence Operations Medal (DOM). He is also a proud member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM).

Beyond his professional commitments, Major General Shaibu enjoys reading, early morning walks, and deep contemplations. He is happily married and the union is blessed with children.

MEET REAR ADMIRAL IDI ABBAS, THE NEW CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF, NIGERIAN NAVY

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas, the newly appointed Chief of the Naval Staff, was born on 20 September 1969 and hails from Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) on 12 September 1987 and was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant on 10 September 1993 as a member of the 40th Regular Course with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry. He began his early education at Gwagwarwa Primary School in Kano, then proceeded to the Airforce Military School, Jos, from 1981 to 1986, before gaining admission into the NDA in 1987.

Rear Admiral Abbas is an Above Water Warfare (AWW) specialist officer who has attended several military courses both at home and abroad. These include the Sub-Lieutenant Technical Course at NNS QUORRA in 1994, the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, in 2001 and 2005 respectively. Between January and December 2003, he attended the Officers’ Long Course (OLC XII) at NNS QUORRA, Apapa, Lagos, specializing in Above Water Warfare. He also attended the United Nations Military Observer Course in Tanzania in 2009 and graduated from the prestigious National Defence College (NDC), Abuja, in 2014 as a member of Course 23.

Throughout his illustrious career, Rear Admiral Abbas has held several key appointments in the Nigerian Navy. After his commissioning in 1993, he served onboard various naval ships as a Watch-Keeping Officer, including NNS ARADU, NNS DAMISA, and NNS AYAM. In 1998, he became Naval Assistant to the Deputy Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji. Between 1999 and 2002, he underwent several mandatory military courses and returned intermittently to NNS DAMISA. In January 2004, he was appointed Staff Officer III, Marine Services, at Naval Headquarters, and later became Gunnery Officer, NNS OHUE, in 2006. The following year, he became an instructor at NNS QUORRA and was appointed Commanding Officer, Burma Battalion of the Nigerian Defence Academy, in 2008.

Rear Admiral Abbas later served as Base Administrative Officer of NNS PATHFINDER and as the Naval Contingent Commander of the Joint Task Force Operation SAFE HAVEN in 2010 and 2012 respectively. In 2015, he was appointed Maritime Guard Commander (MGC) at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and in 2017 became Commander Task Group (CTG) of Nigerian Navy Operation TSARE-TEKU. Between 2018 and 2022, he served in the Central Naval Command, first as the Command Administrative Officer (CAO), then as Chief Staff Officer (CSO), culminating in his appointment as Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Central Naval Command. During this period, he also commanded NNS VICTORY in Calabar in 2020. In July 2023, he became the Chief of Naval Safety and Standards (CNASS) at Naval Headquarters, and in February 2024, he was appointed Chief of Defence Civil-Military Relations (CDCMR) at Defence Headquarters. In January 2025, he was deployed to the Nigerian Army Heritage Centre as a Senior Research Fellow before his elevation to the post of the 25th Chief of the Naval Staff, Nigerian Navy.

A seasoned and thoroughbred professional Seaman Executive Officer, Rear Admiral Abbas rose steadily through the ranks. He became a Midshipman on 18 September 1992 and was promoted to the ranks of Sub-Lieutenant 1993, Lieutenant 1996 Lieutenant Commander 2001 and Commander in 2006 respectively. He became a Navy Captain in September 2011, a Commodore in 2016, and attained the rank of Rear Admiral on 10 September 2020.

In recognition of his exemplary service, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas has earned numerous awards and decorations including the Passed Staff Course (psc), Fellow Defence College (fdc), Forces Service Star (fss), Meritorious Service Star (mss), Distinguished Service Star (dss), Grand Service Star (gss), and Defence General Service Medal (DGSM). He is also a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) and the International Institute of Professional Security (IIPS).

Outside his professional duties, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas enjoys playing hockey and driving. He is a practicing Muslim and is happily married to Mrs. Aisha Abbas, and their marriage is blessed with two boys.

CITATION OF AIR VICE MARSHAL SUNDAY KELVIN ANEKE

23rd Chief of the Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force

The appointment of Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke as the 23rd Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) marks a new chapter in the history of the Nigerian Air Force, one defined by intellectual depth, operational precision, and a renewed commitment to national security and airpower excellence.

Born on 20 February 1972 in Makurdi, Benue State, Air Vice Marshal Aneke hails from Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State. The son of Air Warrant Officer (Rtd) Sylvester and Mrs Ngozi Aneke, his early education at Army Children School, New Cantonment ‘A’, Kaduna (1976–1982) and Government College, Kaduna (1982–1987) laid the foundation for a disciplined and purpose-driven life. He was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 40th Regular Combatant Course and was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer on 10 September 1993, a journey that has since reflected brilliance, dedication, and steady ascension through merit.

An erudite scholar and strategic thinker, Air Vice Marshal Aneke holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from the University of Calabar, and two Master’s Degrees, one in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and another in Political Economy and Development Studies from the University of Abuja. He also possesses a Professional Certificate in Aviation Safety Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida, USA, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). His pursuit of knowledge reflects a deep commitment to informed leadership and adaptive strategy in modern airpower application.

Throughout his distinguished career, Air Vice Marshal Aneke has attended some of the most prestigious military institutions, including the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, where he completed the Junior and Senior Staff Courses, and the United States Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, where he earned a Master’s in Strategic Studies. He has held numerous command, instructional, and policy appointments that shaped his operational and strategic acumen, among them Director of Policy, Director of Safety, Deputy Director of Operations at NAF Headquarters, Command Operations Officer, Tactical Air Command, and Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy. Until his appointment as CAS, he served as Air Officer Commanding, Mobility Command, Yenagoa, where he enhanced air mobility, strengthened joint force integration, and improved the strategic response of the Nigerian Air Force in multi-domain operations.

An accomplished pilot with over 4,359 flying hours, Air Vice Marshal Aneke is type-rated on multiple aircraft including the Air Beetle 18, Dornier 228, Citation 500, Falcon 900, Gulfstream V, Gulfstream 550, and Hawker 4000. His operational experience spans domestic and international theatres, from Operation Restore Hope in the Niger Delta to United Nations peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), where he served as Chief of Air Operations, Kindu Region. His contributions to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations have been instrumental in improving NAF’s counter-insurgency capabilities across multiple fronts.

Decorated with numerous medals and honours including GSS, DSS, GSM, FCM, Psc, MSc, MIAD, MPEDS, and USAFWC, Air Vice Marshal Aneke is widely regarded as a refined officer, visionary leader, and professional aviator of exceptional integrity and depth. His calm disposition, strategic foresight, and results-oriented leadership have earned him respect within and beyond the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

As he assumes command as the 23rd Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke brings with him a wealth of experience, intellectual rigour, and operational dexterity that position him to steer the Nigerian Air Force towards greater efficiency in the fight against terrorism, insurgency, and emerging security threats. Under his leadership, the Service is set to strengthen airpower projection, deepen intelligence-led operations, and drive innovation in defence technology and human capacity development.

Air Vice Marshal Aneke is happily married to Mrs Ngozi Enderline Aneke, and their union is blessed with three sons, Chukwuebuka Kelvin, Ifeanyichukwu Brian, and Uchechukwu Jason. With a deep sense of duty, humility, and service, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke embodies the highest ideals of the Nigerian Air Force, discipline, courage, and excellence, as he leads the Service into a new era of smarter airpower delivery and enduring national security.