The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday commenced the screening of the newly appointed Service Chiefs, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede.
The exercise, held at the National Assembly, began shortly after the top military commanders arrived the Senate chamber at about 12:40 p.m. for their confirmation proceedings.
Those screened alongside Oluyede were the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Aneke; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas; and Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Undiendeye.
In his address to the lawmakers, General Oluyede identified inadequate resources as a key obstacle in tackling insurgency and other security threats nationwide. He emphasized the need to strengthen local arms production capacity to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on foreign suppliers.
“There is a need for Nigeria to improve its own capacity to locally produce the weapons it needs to prosecute the wars and battles confronting it,” Oluyede said.
The Defence Chief also raised concerns about the growing threats of cybercrime and misinformation, warning that both could pose serious risks to national security if left unaddressed.
He called for improved welfare for military personnel and their families, noting that inadequate funding had limited efforts to provide the needed support. Oluyede further urged the Federal Government to enhance police training, lamenting that the military was increasingly overstretched by duties meant for the police.
Oluyede, who became the substantive Chief of Army Staff in December 2024 following the death of Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, was asked to take a bow, having been previously screened by the Senate.
The session continued with other nominees addressing lawmakers before the Senate moved into a closed-door session.
