Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede has been appointed acting Chief of Army Staff by President Bola Tinubu. This was disclosed on Wednesday in a statement by the presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.
He stated that Oluyede would hold the role of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) until Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who is currently receiving treatment abroad, returns to duty. “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).
“Oluyede will serve in this capacity until the return of the substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who is presently indisposed,” the statement read.
Prior to this position, Oluyede was 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 commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987, and promoted to Major General in September 2020. Oluyede has held a variety of command positions after being commissioned as an officer, including Platoon Commander and Adjutant at the 65 Battalion, Company Commander at the 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer in the Guards Brigade, and Commandant of the Amphibious Training School.
He has taken part in various 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, where he led the 27 Task Force Brigade.
Oluyede has received numerous awards for his outstanding service in various operational domains, including the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, completion of the Staff Course, and participation in the National Institute.
Death Rumours
Recently, reports emerged after former presidential aide and social media commentator Jackson Ude claimed that Lagbaja had passed away due to cancer. “The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has died. Lagbaja died in an undisclosed hospital abroad nearly 48 hours ago from stage three cancer, according to a senior government official.
“The death of the Chief of Army Staff has been kept secret due to intense lobbying by some generals who seek the position,” the post read.
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.
These rumours forced the army authorities to refute the report on 20 October, describing it as fake news.
Army spokesperson Major General Onyema Nwachukwu clarified that Lagbaja is on official leave and that necessary protocols have been put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS in his absence.
Major General Nwachukwu emphasised that Lagbaja’s absence has not affected the service’s operations.
“There have even been insinuations of a leadership vacuum, with officers uncertain about their roles. Nothing could be further from the truth.
“To be absolutely clear, the Nigerian Army is a highly structured organisation with well-defined procedures and processes for handling various situations.
“Before proceeding on leave, necessary protocols were established for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS while he was away.
“This situation is not unique to the Nigerian Army, as there have been instances where unforeseen circumstances kept service chiefs away for up to three months, during which their Chiefs of Policy and Plans assumed responsibilities in their absence. Thus, claims of a leadership vacuum in the Nigerian Army are merely speculative, as all routine and scheduled activities of the service are progressing as planned,” he said.
The army spokesperson added that all routine and scheduled activities are proceeding as expected, with departmental chiefs fulfilling their responsibilities in line with the COAS’s directives.
DHQ Refutes Death Rumours
Similarly, the Defence Headquarters stated that no acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has been appointed to replace Taoreed Lagbaja, who is on annual leave. In a statement on October 21, Defence spokesperson, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau warned those calling for a military coup, describing it as a treasonable offence under the law.
“The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) wishes to clarify that it has not announced the appointment of any senior officer as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), contrary to speculation by certain media outlets. For the record, no such appointment exists within the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).
“The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, is currently on a well-deserved rest as part of his 2024 annual leave. The AFN is professionally managed, and all the Service Chiefs are carrying out their duties as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Major General Abdulsalam Bagudu Ibrahim, the Chief of Policy and Plans, is providing routine briefings to the COAS in line with standard military procedures,” he said.
Brigadier General Gusau also called on those spreading unfounded rumours to desist immediately. He confirmed that Lagbaja is in good health and will resume his normal duties upon completion of his leave.
