President Bola Tinubu has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the Acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS) while Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, the substantive COAS, is on medical leave abroad. This announcement was made on Wednesday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, who clarified that Oluyede would serve in this capacity temporarily until Lagbaja’s return.
The statement read, “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, pending the return of the indisposed substantive COAS, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.”
Oluyede, who previously commanded the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna, shares a deep professional history with Lagbaja as both were coursemates from the 39th Regular Course and were commissioned as officers in 1992. Oluyede has also led several key 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 Nigeria’s North-East. His exemplary service has earned him numerous honors, including the Corps Medal of Honour and the Grand Service Star.
The appointment comes shortly after widespread rumors emerged about Lagbaja’s health, following a social media post by former presidential aide Jackson Ude, claiming that Lagbaja had passed away due to cancer. The Nigerian Army swiftly countered these rumors, dismissing them as baseless. Army spokesman Major General Onyema Nwachukwu emphasized that Lagbaja is on an official leave and that operational responsibilities are being managed by Major General Abdulsalami Ibrahim, Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), during his absence.
Nwachukwu assured the public that the Nigerian Army remains highly organized, with clear protocols in place to manage transitions. “The Nigerian Army is a structured establishment, and claims of a leadership vacuum are mere speculation,” he said, adding that all scheduled activities and duties continue as planned.
