… Senate Okays Military Chiefs
Inadequate resources have made the war against terrorism and banditry quite difficult for the military, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has said.
Oluyede spoke at the National Assembly on Wednesday while he was being screened by the Senate for .. of CDS.
According to him, Nigeria must develop its own industrial military base with the right structures for counter-terrorism/banditry to be effective.
“We all know that resources are not enough. The enablers are not enough. It makes it very difficult to get everything required to prosecute the war against terrorism, banditry and other sundry crimes in Nigeria.
“It’s important for us to know that for Nigeria to move forward, it’s imperative that we develop our own local military-industrial complex.
“We can’t keep on buying and selling. We can’t keep on buying equipment from outside. Because these things are extremely expensive.
“So it’s imperative for the country to develop its own capacity to produce the required equipment to prosecute wars and challenges facing all of us,” Oluyede said.
The CDS urged the federal authorities to also develop the required capacity to tackle misinformation that emanates from cybercrimes, cyber warfare and cyber attacks.
“It is important for us as a country to checkmate the kind of misinformation that is out there. Because if this is not terminated and on time, I think our challenges will be far from being over,” he added.
The Defence Chief harped on the need to address gaps in the welfare of soldiers and their families, stressing that being a soldier is not like any other job.
He said, “I want to tell this chamber, with all due respect, that there is something special in being a soldier. Because as a soldier, one of the things is that you have to sacrifice your entire life for others to live. And for you to be a soldier, there is some element of madness.
“What do I mean by this? For a right thinking fellow, when there is danger, you are expected to retreat. But for a soldier, you are expected to go forward and face that challenge.
“So a soldier is just not an annoying person, so it is important for us to look at soldiers the way they are looked at in other climes. Give them their due respect.”
General Oluyede called for restructuring of the Nigeria Police, saying that most of the job being undertaken by the military is within the jurisdiction of the police.
“So it is important for the nation to empower the police, make them stronger, make them more formidable so that they can do their job while we concentrate on defending Nigeria against external aggression,” he equipped.
The new CDS however, said progress is being made in the counterinsurgency, counter banditry campaign, adding that things could be better with better funding.
He charged Nigerians to renew their efforts in tackling the prevailing security challenges, saying the job should not be left to the military alone.
The new Chief of Army Staff, Gen Waidi Shuabu; Chief of Air Staff, Sunday Aneke; and the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas also took their turns to respond to questions from the senators.
The Senate, however, devolved into a closed-door session where all the military chiefs were screened and confirmed.
The senators unanimously passed the military chiefs in a voice vote, which was called by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
President Bola Tinubu had, on Friday, 24th October, 2025, announced the elevation of Oluyede to CDS from his previous position as COAS.
Tinubu said he made changes in the hierarchy of the service chiefs in furtherance of the efforts of the federal government to strengthen the national security architecture.
The President appointed General Olufemi Oluyede to replace General Christopher Musa as the new Chief of Defence Staff.
In the new shuffle, the President appointed Major-General Waidi Shaibu as the new Chief of Army Staff, while Air Vice Marshall Sunday Aneke was appointed Chief of Air Staff.
Tinubu appointed Rear Admiral Idi Abbas as the new Chief of Naval Staff, while retaining Major-General Emmanuel Undiendeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence.
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