From Odita Sunday, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
According to presidential spokesman, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.
Until his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.
The 56-year-old Oluyede and Lagbaja were coursemates and members of the 39th Regular Course.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987. He rose to Major-General in September 2020.
Oluyede has held many commands since his commissioning as an officer. He was Platoon Commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, Company Commander at 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer Guards Brigade, Commandant Amphibious Training School.
General Oluyede participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and Operation HADIN KAI in the North East theatre of operations, where he commanded 27 Task Force Brigade.
Oluyede has earned many honours for his meritorious service in various fields of operations. These include the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, Passing the Staff Course, and Membership in the National Institute.
Others are the Field Command Medal, the Field Command Medal of Honour, and the Field Training Medal.
Oluyede also received the coveted Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award.
He is married and has three children.
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Concerns had mounted over the long absence of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who has been confirmed sick.
The situation had triggered anxiety and murmuring within the military circle and Nigerians on social media space.
The 3-Star General’s absence became conspicuous after he missed the October 1, 2024, independence anniversary celebrations at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock. Since then, he has also missed other major military and national events, including the burial ceremony of the late Director of Army Legal Services Major General Seidu Inaboya Musa.
The Nigerian Army authority had clarified two weeks ago that Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja was on leave and receiving medical check-ups abroad.
The army explained that before the COAS proceeded on leave, necessary protocols were put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim, to ensure the smooth running of army affairs, hence there was no leadership vacuum as speculated in some quarters.
The Chief of Policy and Plans had been “providing routine briefs to the COAS in accordance with standard military procedures,” and not the acting COAS.
The new appointment has now put to rest questions by Nigerians on who is commanding the nation’s tens of thousands of army.
