President Bola Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in light of the temporary absence of the current Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, due to health reasons.
Prior to this role, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, stationed in Jaji, Kaduna. Aged 56, he shares a longstanding association with Lagbaja, as both were coursemates in the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 39th Regular Course.
Commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992, with service backdated to 1987, Oluyede steadily progressed to the rank of Major-General in September 2020. His career is marked by a series of key leadership roles, including Platoon Commander and Adjutant at the 65 Battalion, Company Commander at the 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer at Guards Brigade, and Commandant of the Amphibious Training School.
General Oluyede has participated in notable military operations, 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 Nigeria’s North-East, where he led the 27 Task Force Brigade.
His service has earned him numerous honors, including the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, and the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award. He is also recognized with awards such as the Field Command Medal, Field Command Medal of Honour, and Field Training Medal.
Oluyede is married and has three children.
