President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
Oluyede will serve in this role temporarily until the return of the substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, who is currently unwell and receiving medical care abroad.
The appointment, announced on Wednesday, was confirmed in a statement from Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.
Prior to this role, Oluyede was the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, stationed in Jaji, Kaduna.
At age 56, Oluyede and Lagbaja share a longstanding professional history as coursemates from the 39th Regular Course. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992 (retroactively effective from 1987), Oluyede attained the rank of Major-General in September 2020.
Throughout his career, Oluyede has held a variety of command positions, including roles as Platoon Commander and adjutant at the 65 Battalion, Company Commander at the 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer at the Guards Brigade, and Commandant at the Amphibious Training School.
He has participated in numerous military operations, such as 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 commanded the 27 Task Force Brigade.
Oluyede’s distinguished service has earned him several honors, including the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, Passing the Staff Course, and Membership in the National Institute. Additional awards include the Field Command Medal, the Field Command Medal of Honour, the Field Training Medal, and the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award.
