November 28, (THEWILL) – The House of Representatives has approved the appointment of Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the substantive Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
This follows the consideration and adoption of the report of the Joint Committee on Defence and Army, presented at plenary on Thursday by its chairman Benson Babajimi (APC, Lagos state).
President Bola Tinubu had on November 22, in a letter addressed separately to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Reps Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, in accordance with the provision of Section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, asked the National Assembly to confirm Oluyede as substantive COAS.
Gen. Oluyede was appointed as the Acting Chief of Army Staff on October 30 following the illness of Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja. General Lagbaja died on 5 November.
Before his appointment as Acting Chief of Army Staff, 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.
Oluyede was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987. He rose to Major-General in September 2020. Since his commissioning as an officer, he has held many command positions. He was 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.
General 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 also received the coveted Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award.
He is married and has three children.
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