President Bola Tinubu has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), pending the return of substantive COAS, Taoreed Lagbaja.
Lagbaja is currently abroad for medical treatment.
According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Oluyede’s appointment, disclosed on Wednesday, takes “immediate effect.”
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Oluyede, formerly the 56th Commander of the Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, has had a distinguished career. Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1992, he rose to Major General in September 2020.
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His operational experience includes Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group in Liberia, Operation Harmony IV in Bakassi, and Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East.
Oluyede’s appointment follows speculation about Lagbaja’s health, which military authorities have consistently denied, stating he is “hale and hearty” and observing his annual leave.
The Defence Headquarters had previously denied reports of an acting COAS appointment, but Oluyede’s selection aims to ensure continuity in the Army’s leadership.
