President Bola Tinubu has elevated the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Olufemi Oluyede, to the rank of Lieutenant General.
Sources within the Presidential Villa confirmed the development to Channels Television on Tuesday.
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If Oluyede’s promotion is confirmed by the Senate, he will become the permanent Chief of Army Staff, formally succeeding Lt-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja.
Oluyede, who was appointed as acting army chief by the President, was promoted from Major General to Lieutenant General just days after his appointment.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga announced Oluyede’s appointment on October 30, 2024, amid ongoing rumors of Lt-Gen Lagbaja’s death.
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The Defence Headquarters, however, has denied these rumors, stating that Lagbaja is currently on leave.
“Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja,” Onanuga said in a statement.
Before his recent appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, stationed in Jaji, Kaduna.
Aged 56, Oluyede was a coursemate of Lagbaja, both being members of the 39th Regular Course. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992, with seniority backdated to 1987, and was promoted to the rank of Major-General in September 2020.
Throughout his career, Oluyede held numerous command roles, including Platoon Commander and Adjutant at the 65 Battalion, Company Commander at the 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer with the Guards Brigade, and Commandant of the Amphibious Training School.
He has been involved in various key 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 the North-East, where he commanded the 27 Task Force Brigade.
General Oluyede has earned multiple honors for his distinguished service, including the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, the Passed Staff Course badge, and membership in the National Institute.
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