Tinubu appoints Oluyede as  acting Chief of Army Staff.

President Bola Tinubu has named Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff.

Bayo Onanuga, the presidential spokesman, confirmed this in a statement issued on Wednesday.

He stated that Oluyede will continue to serve as COAS till Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja returns, who is alleged to be indisposed and seeking 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),” according to a statement.

“Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.”

Oluyede was previously the 56th Commander of the Nigerian Army’s elite Infantry Corps, stationed in Jaji, Kaduna.

Oluyede and Lagbaja, both 56, were coursemates in the 39th Regular Course.

He was appointed second lieutenant in 1992, with effect from 1987. He advanced to Major-General in September 2020.

Oluyede has held numerous commands since being commissioned as an officer. He was Platoon Commander and Adjutant of the 65th Battalion, Company Commander of the 177th Guards Battalion, Staff Officer of the Guards Brigade, and Commandant of the Amphibious Training School.

General Oluyede took part in various missions, 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.

Oluyede has received numerous awards for his outstanding performance in various domains of business. These include the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, completion of the Staff Course, and membership in the National Institute.

A few days ago, many rumours surfaced when Jackson Ude, a former presidential adviser and social media commenter, said that Lagbaja died of cancer.

“Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, has died. According to a senior government source, Lagbaja died of stage three cancer in an unidentified hospital in another country over 48 hours ago.

“The death of the Chief of Army Staff has been kept secret due to extensive lobbying by several generals who want to fill the job.

“Lagbaja, born on 28 February 1968 in Ilobu, Osun State, was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023 as the 27th Chief of Army Staff.”

On October 20, the army authorities debunked the allegation, labelling it as fake news.

Onyema Nwachukwu, the Army spokesman, emphasised that Lagbaja is on official leave, and that the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Ibrahim, will act on the COAS’s behalf during his absence.

Nwachukwu, a major general, stated unequivocally that Lagbaja’s absence has no effect on service activities.

“There have even been suggestions that there is a leadership vacuum, with officers unsure what to do. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” he stated.

“To be clear, the Nigerian Army is a highly structured organisation with well-defined protocols and methods for dealing with various situations. Before going on leave, the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim, was given the authority to act on the COAS’s behalf while he was abroad.

“This is not unique to the NA; in some cases, unforeseen human frailty kept service heads away for three months, with their heads of Policy and Plans taking over in their absence. Claims of a leadership vacuum in the NA at the moment are therefore mere speculation, as all routine and scheduled actions of the service are taking place.”

The army spokesman stated that all routine and scheduled activities of the military are proceeding normally, and that the appropriate departmental chiefs are carrying out their obligations in accordance with COAS directions.

Similarly, Defence Headquarters stated that no acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS) was appointed to replace Taoreed Lagbaja, who is now on yearly leave.

In a statement made on October 21, defence spokesman Tukur Gusau warned individuals clamouring for a military coup that it is a treasonable violation under the law.

“The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) wishes to clarify that, contrary to media speculation, no senior officer has been appointed as acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS). For the record, there is no such job in the Nigerian Armed Forces (AFN).

“The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, is now taking a well-deserved break as part of his 2024 yearly leave. The AFN is professionally managed, and all Service Chiefs carry out their duties in accordance with the FGN’s Constitution. Major General Abdulsalam Bagudu Ibrahim, the Chief of Policy and Plans, is giving routine briefings to the COAS in accordance with standard military procedures.”

Gusau, a Brigadier General, also urged those promoting false rumours to stop immediately.

He said that Lagbaja is in good health and will return to work soon when his leave ends.

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