Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Olisa Agbakoba, has voiced support for President Bola Tinubu’s recent overhaul of the nation’s military leadership, describing the move as timely and necessary.
The President announced the shake-up on Friday, replacing key figures in the armed forces, including the Chief of Defence Staff, as part of measures to bolster Nigeria’s security architecture amid ongoing challenges.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Agbakoba said Tinubu “made the right call,” particularly if reports suggesting a planned coup were accurate.
Earlier media reports had linked the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day events on October 1 to an alleged attempt by some military officers to destabilize the government.
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However, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) denied any connection between the cancelled celebrations and the purported coup.
Agbakoba praised the President’s swift action, noting that it reflected a level of decisiveness “that was lacking in the previous administration.”
He described the leadership changes as a step toward reinforcing discipline, loyalty, and effectiveness within the military.
“You have a president who is prepared to take tough decisions, and we know that he likes to take tough decisions,” he said.
“I think he has done the right thing because his predecessor, the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, did not like to make such decisions and allowed his military team to stay far longer than they should have.”
The former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president added that the timing of the move was appropriate.
“So, if it is indeed true that there was a rumoured coup, I think he (Tinubu) acted sensibly by doing exactly what he has done,” he said.
“What we want to see now is the impact of that decision.”
