The newly appointed Acting Chief of Army Staff, Major General Olufemi Oluyede on Friday, assumed duties at the Army Headquarters, Abuja.
Oluyede was appointed by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, to lead the Nigerian Army pending the return of the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, who is reportedly ill and is currently on medical leave.
In a statement issued on Friday by Director Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the acting COAS vowed to work assiduously and build on Lt-Gen. Lagbaja’s legacies.
Maj-Gen. Nwanchukwu said: “In his remarks, the acting Chief of Army Staff, Major General Olufemi Oluyede, expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for finding him worthy of the appointment and prayed for the speedy recuperation of the COAS, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.
“The Ag COAS solicited support from all personnel of the Armed Forces and Nigerians in general, in tackling the security challenges bedeviling the country. He pledged his loyalty to the Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Speaking at the taking-over ceremony at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, emphasized that the appointment of the Ag. COAS aligns with the Armed Forces Act of 2004.
General Musa reminded all field commanders of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate to the Armed Forces and the tasks at hand. He urged the commanders not to relent in guaranteeing national security and the safety of all Nigerians.
Highlight of the event was the formal handover of Army Command flag by the CDS, General Christopher Musa to the acting Chief of Army Staff.
Until his appointment, Major General Olufemi Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army in Jaji, Kaduna.
A member of the 39th Regular Combatant Course of the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy, Major General Oluyede was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1992 and rose steadily to the enviable rank of Major General in September 2020. His illustrious career traverse various command, staff and instructional appointments such as Platoon Commander, Adjutant, Company Commander, Brigade commander, and General Officer Commanding, amongst several other appointments.
He has participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi and Operation HADIN KAI in the North East theatre of operations.
Major General Olufemi Oluyede also earned several honours and awards for his meritorious service in diverse fields of operation.
