By Abiola Olawale
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday wrote to the Senate seeking confirmation of Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede’s nomination as the substantive Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
This development was contained in a press statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In the statement, the senior presidential aide said Tinubu is seeking Oluyede’s confirmation in accordance with the provision of section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act.
It would be recalled that Tinubu, on October 30, appointed Oluyede as the acting COAS following the prolonged illness of the late Taoreed Lagbaja, the former army chief.
Lagbaja later passed away on November 5 at the age of 56 years.
On November 5, Lagbaja died of an undisclosed illness.
The New Diplomat reports that before his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th commander of the infantry corps of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992 and rose to the position of major general in September 2020.
Oluyede and Lagbaja were coursemates and members of the 39th regular course.
Recently, Oluyede was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general.
He has participated in several 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 of operations.
He was also the commander of the 27 task force brigade.
