President Bola Tinubu has named Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the new acting Chief of Army Staff.
This appointment was announced on Wednesday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
Oluyede will temporarily fill the position while the current Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, receives medical treatment abroad. “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),” the statement said. “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, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army in Jaji, Kaduna. At 56, Oluyede shares a long history with Lagbaja, having trained together as part of the 39th Regular Course. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992 (retroactive to 1987) and achieved the rank of Major-General in September 2020.
Throughout his career, Oluyede has held various command positions, including roles as Platoon Commander, Company Commander, and Commandant of the Amphibious Training School. He has also participated in notable military missions such as the ECOMOG Mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and Operation HADIN KAI in the Northeast, where he led the 27 Task Force Brigade.
Oluyede’s service has been recognized with multiple honors, such as the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, and Membership in the National Institute.
