Nigeria makes security changes after denying coup rumors | news

On Friday, October 24, 2025, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu announced broad changes in the leadership of the armed forces, amid escalating violence in the north of the country and increasing security challenges.

This step came after the government denied rumors of a coup attempt, following local media reports that spoke of the arrest of more than a dozen army officers in September, including a brigadier general and a colonel.

“I have agreed to changes in the structure of our armed forces to strengthen the national security architecture,” Tinubu said in a brief statement.

The dismissals included Christopher Musa (Chief of Staff), Emmanuel Ogala (Chief of the Navy), and Hassan Abubakar (Chief of the Air Force).

General Olufemi Oloyede was appointed as the new Chief of Staff, Shuaibu Abbas as the Commander of the Army, and S. your. Anke as Chief of the Naval Staff, along with the appointment of a new Commander of the Air Force.

Although the army denied the existence of a coup plot, analysts doubted this, considering that the changes may be a response to complaints within the military institution about the stagnation of career paths or the failure of the leaders to improve the security situation.

The changes coincided with protests in the capital, Abuja, where police dispersed demonstrations demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the separatist “Indigenous People of Biafra” movement.

Nigeria faces threats from multiple armed groups, most notably Boko Haram, which has returned to activity strongly this year, in addition to kidnapping and looting gangs known as “bandits.”

The country has witnessed repeated attacks on military sites and the planting of explosive devices on the roads, raising fears of a return to the state of insecurity that reached its peak a decade ago.

Earlier this year, the United States approved a $346 million arms deal to support Nigeria’s efforts to combat insurgency and organized crime.

This comes in a regional context that is witnessing an increase in military coups, as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have witnessed similar changes in the past three years, raising warnings of the phenomenon spreading to West Africa.

“Some of us expected these changes,” said security analyst Senator Iroigbo, adding that the government may now be putting protecting the system at the top of its security priorities.