President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), to stand in for the ailing substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser Information and Strategy to President Tinubu disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
Before this new role, Oluyede, 56, served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992, Oluyede attained the rank of Major-General in September 2020.
Throughout his career, he has held various commands, including as Platoon Commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, Company Commander at 177 Guards Battalion, and Staff Officer at Guards Brigade.
Oluyede’s operational experience includes participation in significant missions such as 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.
The statement added, “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 act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja. “Until his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.”
Earlier in October, SaharaReporters broke the news that Lagbaja had been secretly flown abroad for medical treatment following a prolonged absence from official duties.
ThePaan also reported that top military officers were jostling for Lagbaja’s position due to his ill health and the pessimism surrounding his return to office. This development led to intense lobbying of politicians and influential retired generals by those eager to succeed Lagbaja, sources had told ThePaan.
EXCLUSIVE: Nigeria’s Chief Of Army Staff, Lagbaja ‘Incapacitated’ Abroad As Military Generals Lobby, Jostle For Position.
Lagbaja, born on February 28, 1968, in Ilobu, Osun State, was appointed by President Tinubu in June 2023, as the 27th Chief of Army Staff.
He took office on June 23, 2023, replacing Faruk Yahaya as the Chief of Army Staff. The Chief of Army Staff reports to the Chief of Defence Staff, who reports to the Defence Minister and is accountable to the President of Nigeria. Sources described his ailment as “strange” to ThePaan.
“The Chief of Army Staff is nowhere to be found for many days now. He hasn’t been seen at the Army headquarters or any military function in the last three weeks. I can confirm to you that he is seriously sick and was taken to the hospital. However, his family members arranged for him to be moved out of the country for medical treatment,” one of the sources had said.
“The COAS is a leader and most of the Major Generals are doing anyhow because they have no one to report to currently. Anybody can fall sick but someone needs to be in charge. I wish him a very quick recovery, I have known him since our days in Makurdi, Benue State. We were both young officers then and he was a captain.”
A Major had also said, “As military men, we were taught to be observant, so I noticed he was not at the October 1 Independence Day parade ground in Abuja. I asked my superiors including a general and I was told that he was out of the country. You know, it is unusual for him not to be around at that time.
“Also, the 2024 promotion list of soldiers which was completed a few weeks back is yet to be signed by the COAS. I was told that the Chief of Administration could not do it because it would escalate the COAS’s absence. Some of my subordinates who are due for promotion are already grumbling.”
“His health is seriously deteriorating and he is currently capable. He is on a sick bed; he can’t hear what people are saying again, just like someone with hearing problems. We are praying for his quick recovery,” one of the sources said.
“So it’s a very serious illness but the Army authorities can never disclose it now. Even before this stage, General Lagbaja was prepared to resign because of the health challenge.”
However, Army spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, told ThePaan that Lagbaja was on leave and entitled to it after working “so hard for the country”.
He had said, “If the Chief of Army staff travels out after working for many years, are you saying it’s wrong for him to travel out when he is on leave? So if you work for years and go for a few weeks’ vacation or something, does it mean you are sick? So because we are in uniform, we should die working?
“For instance, I have worked for almost seven years, I haven’t gone on leave. I didn’t go on leave till I went to bury my mum when I was given a week-plus to go and bury my mum.
“Because we are in uniform, we should die working? We shouldn’t have a week or two for vacation. Is it even abnormal for someone to go for a (medical) check-up? Must you even be sick before going for a medical checkup? Are we not supposed to evaluate ourselves?
“We need to understand some things; for the past seven years, I haven’t gone on leave. It’s a call to national duty. People need to understand the sacrifices soldiers are making.
“There was a point when I came to my home and my children didn’t even know me.” “I don’t think it’s out of place for myself or any other person, even if it’s a top brass in the army to travel out or in any of the services to travel out for rest or do a medical checkup or something. I don’t think there should be any fuss about that,” the army spokesperson had added.
