President Bola Tinubu has appointed Maj Gen Olufemi Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), rekindling concerns about the health of the substantive COAS, General Toareed Lagbaja, who has been on leave and out of the country since September.
Recently there’s been speculations about his health, and on Sunday last week, there were viral reports about his death.
Jackson Ude, a US based journalist, had alleged in a recent social media post that Lagbaja had passed away.
The Nigerian Army promptly debunked the report through its Director of Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, who said the Army Chief is alive and well.
The Army had also dismissed rumours that an acting Chief of Army Staff had been appointed, but that has now been confirmed.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, announced the appointment in a statement Wednesday evening.
“Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja,” he said.
The statement is titled ‘President Tinubu appoints Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as acting Chief of Army Staff’.
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.
He participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group 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.
Onanuga said the acting army chief 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.
Leave a Reply