Sierra Leone Decorates Gen. Oluyede With Highest National Honour

FREETOWN — President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has conferred the prestigious Grand Commander of the Order of the Rokel on Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede. The decoration, which took place on Thursday, February 19, 2026, during the 17th Armed Forces Day parade in Freetown, serves as a high-level recognition of Oluyede’s pivotal role in restoring peace to the once-war-torn nation. Serving as a Platoon Commander under the ECOMOG banner between 1992 and 1994, Oluyede guarded the presidential residence during the height of the civil conflict. Consequently, this award honors not just an individual officer but the collective sacrifice of the Nigerian Armed Forces in safeguarding West African democracy.

The citation for General Oluyede highlighted his unwavering commitment to the stability of the Sierra Leonean government during a period of existential threat. Alongside Oluyede, other international military heavyweights, including retired General Martin Luther Agwai and Kenya’s Lt.-Gen. Daniel Opande received similar distinctions. Furthermore, the ceremony underscored the enduring gratitude of the Sierra Leonean people toward the “ECOMOG era” interventionists who brokered peace through blood and grit. While it is true that Nigeria’s regional influence has shifted, the “Order of the Rokel” remains a potent symbol of its traditional role as the “Big Brother” of the ECOWAS sub-region. Indeed, the CDS accepted the medal on behalf of thousands of Nigerian soldiers who never returned from the frontlines of the 1990s.

While the CDS received accolades abroad, international partners converged on Maiduguri to bolster Nigeria’s domestic security architecture. In a related development, the Defence Attachés of the United Kingdom and Germany, Brigadier Tom Harper and Colonel Boris Bovecamp, visited the Theatre Command of Operation HADIN KAI. Both diplomats pledged a “surge” in technical support and specialized training to enhance the proficiency of troops in the North-East. Granted, Nigeria has faced significant asymmetric challenges, but the UK’s commitment through the British Military Advisory Team (BMATT) continues to provide a vital edge. Notably, Germany signaled its intention to explore regional cooperation arrangements to boost the operational effectiveness of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

Significantly, Theatre Commander Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar lauded the contributions of the European partners, particularly in the areas of capacity building and logistics. He noted that the evolving nature of the insurgency requires constant adaptation and the “hybrid expertise” provided by international military advisors. Subsequently, the high-level visit concluded with a strategic briefing on the recent successes of the counter-terrorism offensive in the Sambisa Forest and Tumbun regions. Although the military remains dominant on the battlefield, the CDS continues to emphasize that lasting peace requires a “whole-of-society” approach involving diplomacy and development.

Finally, the decoration of General Oluyede in Freetown provides a timely moral boost for the Nigerian military as it navigates the 2026 security calendar. Therefore, the focus now shifts back to the domestic front, where the CDS must translate international goodwill into tangible victories against bandits and insurgents. As a result of this decoration, the military ties between Nigeria and its Mano River neighbors have reached a new high-water mark of cooperation. Accordingly, the quest for a secure and prosperous West Africa remains tethered to the professionalism of its senior military leadership.