Major General Olufemi Oluyede Appointed Interim Chief of Army Staff by President Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the interim Chief of Army Staff (COAS). This appointment was announced in a statement on Wednesday, October 30, by Bayo Onanuga, the president's Special Assistant on Information and Strategy. Oluyede will fill this role temporarily, pending the return of Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who is currently abroad for medical treatment.

“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),” the statement confirmed.

Prior to his interim appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna. Aged 56, Oluyede shares a long professional history with Lt. General Lagbaja, as both were course mates in the 39th Regular Course. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992, with an effective start date from 1987, and rose to the rank of Major General in September 2020.

Throughout his career, Oluyede has held several prominent positions, including Platoon Commander, Adjutant at the 65 Battalion, Company Commander at the 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer for the Guards Brigade, and Commandant of the Amphibious Training School. He is married and has three children.