President Bola Tinubu on Thursday charged the newly decorated service chiefs to act decisively against emerging security threats, warning that “new snakes must be smashed right in the head before they grow.”

Speaking at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja, where the four security chiefs were decorated with their ranks, the President said their appointment “marks the beginning of a renewed effort to ensure peace and security for all Nigerians.”

“Today’s ceremony is beyond the symbolism of decoration. It marks the beginning of our renewed effort to ensure the peace and security of all Nigerians.

“Each of you has been carefully selected for this critical task. Security is an essential element without which everything else is rendered meaningless.

“Our people and our nation must remain secure to enjoy the benefits of governance,” Tinubu said.

At the ceremony attended by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, senior government officials and the spouses of the officers, who were all dressed in their respective force uniforms, the President conferred ranks on General Olufemi Oluyede (Chief of Defence Staff), Lieutenant-General Wahidi Shuaib (Chief of Army Staff), Air Marshal Kennedy Aneke (Chief of Air Staff), and Vice Admiral Idi Abbas (Chief of Naval Staff).

Thursday’s event followed the Senate’s confirmation of the nominees a day earlier after a two-hour closed-door screening.

Referring to Shuaib, who sustained injuries during previous counter-insurgency operations in the North-East, Tinubu commended the officers for their courage and teamwork.

“To General Shuaib, I understand you were injured; you recuperated. I saw many stories and clips online of Operation Hadin-Kai. All of you, working together as a team, have made the country proud,” he said.

The President praised the military for reclaiming territories once held by terrorists and rescuing countless victims of abductions but said the government would not relent until peace is fully restored.

“However, challenges remain. Security threats are constantly evolving and mutating.

“Of grave concern is the recent emergence of new armed groups in the North-Central, North-West, and parts of the South.

“We must not allow these threats to fester,” Tinubu warned.

He urged the new military heads to be decisive and proactive.

“Let us smash the new snakes right in the head. Nigerians expect results, not excuses. We are in a hurry to celebrate peace,” he affirmed.

He urged the military leaders to embrace innovation, intelligence sharing, and technology-driven operations, assuring them of his administration’s full backing.

“Be innovative, pre-emptive, and courageous. Deploy technology where necessary.

“We cannot allow the crisis that began in 2009 to persist any longer. It is time to defeat the enemies,” he said.

Tinubu encouraged the service chiefs to share information effectively, and follow up proactively.

He said, “Work with other security agencies to defeat this enemy once and for all. We need to clean them up, clear them out. I promise to provide all the support you need to get the job done.”

Tinubu also reaffirmed the military’s role as the “shield of the nation,” urging them to uphold patriotism and discipline while safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty.

“I sincerely appreciate your sacrifices as your Commander-in-Chief. I have repeatedly acknowledged them, and I will continue to do so,” he said.

The decoration comes barely a week after the President’s second major shake-up of the armed forces since assuming office.

The Presidency had dismissed rumours linking the reshuffle to an alleged coup plot, insisting it was aimed at “injecting new direction” into the security architecture.

The Punch

Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has extended an invitation to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other lawmakers to the inauguration of constituency projects in Kogi State.

This is coming weeks after her return from a six-month suspension.

The invitation was contained in a letter read by Akpabio during Thursday’s plenary.

“In marking my second anniversary as serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I wish to invite fellow distinguished senators to join me for projects commissioning in Kogi State,” the letter partly read.

According to the invitation, the event will hold on Sunday in Ihima, Okene Local Government Area, with the meeting point fixed at her residence.

For lawmakers travelling by air, the senator advised that the Obajana airstrip could be used before proceeding by road to Ihima.

Akpabio responded warmly after reading the letter, saying, “Congratulations in advance.”

The gesture marks a turning point in a once-bitter rift between the two senators.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6, 2025, following a heated face-off with the Senate leadership over the reallocation of her seat during the plenary.

Her protest at the time led to accusations of “gross misconduct” and a walkout that drew national attention.

She accused Akpabio of running the upper chamber with a “dictatorial hand,” while the Senate President insisted her actions breached parliamentary decorum.

Although her suspension expired in September, she only regained access to her office two weeks ago after a months-long standoff and court filings.

Since her reinstatement, Akpoti-Uduaghan has gradually resumed participation in plenary sessions — including contributing an amendment to the Criminal Code (Amendment) Bill 2025 last week — but Thursday’s invitation read by Akpabio signals the clearest sign yet of rapprochement between the two camps.

Political observers see the gesture as a strategic reconciliation move by the fiery Kogi senator, whose return to the Senate had reignited debates about gender representation, dissent, and discipline within Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber.

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the return of several convicted persons earlier granted state pardon, including Maryam Sanda and over 140 others, to prison following widespread criticisms that greeted the decision.

In a statement from the Presidency on Tuesday, October 29, signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president formally signed a revised instrument of clemency and pardon after reviewing the earlier approved list with input from the Council of State and feedback from the public.

The October 11 pardon had drawn outrage nationwide after it emerged that the list included persons convicted of murder, drug and human trafficking, fraud, and unlawful possession of firearms.

Among those pardoned at the time were former lawmaker Farouk Lawan, late environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, nationalist Herbert Macaulay, the late Mamman Vatsa (a major general), and Maryam Sanda, sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband.

However, the latest Presidency’s statement said the president had directed a further review of the list to exclude individuals convicted of serious crimes. Those deleted from the list were persons found guilty of kidnapping, murder, drug-related offences, human trafficking, fraud, and arms dealing. The president reduced the initial list, containing 175 beneficiaries, to 34.

According to the statement, the president’s decision was guided by national security concerns, the feelings of victims and the general public, and the need to uphold justice and maintain confidence in law enforcement.

“The action became necessary in view of the seriousness and security implications of some of the offences, the need to be sensitive to the feelings of the victims of the crimes and society in general, the need to boost the morale of law enforcement agencies and adherence to bilateral obligations,” the statement said.

The Presidency also explained that the review was informed by the concept of justice as a “three-way traffic” involving the accused, the victim, and society.

While some convicts had their sentences commuted, others were ordered back to prison after the review. The final approved list of eligible beneficiaries has now been transmitted to the Nigerian Correctional Service for implementation in line with the newly signed instruments of release.

To ensure greater accountability in future exercises, Tinubu directed the relocation of the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice. He also ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to issue new operational guidelines for the exercise of the prerogative of mercy.

The guidelines, according to the statement, will make it mandatory for the committee to consult relevant prosecuting agencies before recommending any convict for clemency. This, the president said, would ensure that only deserving individuals who meet established legal and procedural requirements benefit from future pardons.

Tinubu also thanked Nigerians for their feedback on the matter, describing it as essential to improving governance and strengthening public trust in the justice system.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to judicial reforms and transparency in the exercise of constitutional powers, saying the objective was to “improve the administration of justice in Nigeria and uphold the principles of fairness, accountability, and public confidence.”

In the new list, Tinubu granted clemency to 15 convicts, namely Oroka Michael Chibueze, Adesanya Olufemi Paul, Daniel Bodunwa, Hamza Abubakar, Buhari Sani, Mohammed Musa, Muharazu Abubakar, and Ibrahim Yusuf.

Others are Saad Ahmed Madaki, Ex-corporal Michael Bawa, Richard Ayuba, Adam Abubakar, Emmanuel Yusuf, Chinedu Stanley, and Johnny Ntheru Udor.

The president also granted pardons to another 15 convicts. They are: Anastasia Daniel Nwaobia, Hussaini Alhaji Umar (a lawyer), Ayinla Saadu Alanumu, Farouk M. Lawan, Herbert Macaulay, Mamman Jiya Vatsa (a late major general), Ken Saro Wiwa, and Saturday Dobee.

The list includes Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuale, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kobel, and John Kpuine.

In addition, he commuted the death sentence of four convicts to life sentences. The beneficiaries are Emmanuel Baba, Abubakar Usman, Khalifa Umar, and Mohammed Umar

The controversy surrounding the initial pardon had triggered widespread public criticism, with rights activists and civil society groups questioning the rationale for freeing convicted murderers and drug traffickers.

Many Nigerians argued that the decision undermined the country’s anti-corruption and anti-narcotics efforts and sent the wrong message to law-abiding citizens.

Culled: ICIRNigeria