Tinubu Appoints General Oluyede As Acting Chief Of Army Staff

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS) to temporarily lead the Nigerian Army.

This interim appointment follows the absence of the current COAS, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who is overseas receiving medical treatment.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the announcement was made on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, by Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, who stated, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS). Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.”

Before this appointment, Major General Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the Infantry Corps at the Nigerian Army’s prestigious training institution in Jaji, Kaduna.

At 56, he is a coursemate of Lt. General Lagbaja, both having completed the 39th Regular Course. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992, with a retroactive date of 1987, Oluyede rose to the rank of Major-General in September 2020.

Throughout his career, Oluyede has held multiple command roles, building an extensive operational background.

His roles have included Platoon Commander, adjutant of the 65 Battalion, Company Commander at the 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer for the Guards Brigade, and Commandant of the Amphibious Training School.

General Oluyede’s operational experience spans several high-profile missions, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and Operation HADIN KAI in Nigeria’s North East, where he led the 27 Task Force Brigade.

His contributions have earned him numerous awards, such as the Corps Medal of Honour, Grand Service Star, and the Staff Course badge, and he is a member of the National Institute.