President Bola Tinubu has formally written to the Nigerian Senate to confirm Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede’s appointment as substantive Chief of Army Staff ,COAS,.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and strategy said in a statement on Friday that Oluyede’s confirmation is in accordance with the provision of Section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act.
President Tinubu had on October 30, 2024 appointed Oluyede as the Acting COAS following the illness of Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, who later died on November 5, 2024.
According to the statement, President Tinubu is confident about the leadership qualities, professional integrity, and experience of Lt. General Oluyede to lead and inspire the army to ensure national security and stability.
Before his appointment as Acting COAS, Oluyede, a member of the 39th Regular Course, like his predecessor, served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987. He rose to Major-General in September 2020.
Since his commissioning as an officer, Oluyede has held many command positions.
He was the Platoon Commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, Company Commander at 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer in the Guards Brigade and Commandant of the Amphibious Training School.
Oluyede participated in several operations, including 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 theatre of operations, where he commanded 27 Task Force Brigade.
For his meritorious service in various fields of operations, he has earned many honours, including 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, who also received the coveted Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award is married and has three children.
