President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, officially promoted the acting Chief of Army Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, to the rank of Lieutenant General in a brief ceremony held at the State House in Abuja.
A statement from the president’s communications team confirmed the event, stating, “President Tinubu decorates acting Chief of Army Staff, Oluyede, as Lt. General.”
President Tinubu appointed Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff last week following the continued absence of the former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, who has been unavailable due to health reasons. Oluyede, who was formerly a Major General, is now officially decorated with his new rank, though he remains in an acting role according to presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
“Oluyede is still the acting Chief of Army Staff,” Mr. Onanuga said, confirming that his role has not yet been made permanent.
The presidency is expected to release more information about Lieutenant General Lagbaja’s position soon.
Oluyede, who previously commanded the elite Infantry Corps based in Jaji, Kaduna, has had a distinguished military career. He joined the Nigerian Army in 1987, commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992, and was promoted to Major General in 2020. He has held various important roles, including serving as Platoon Commander, Company Commander, and Commander of the 27 Task Force Brigade in Operation HADIN KAI in northeastern Nigeria.
Throughout his career, Oluyede has participated in significant operations, including missions with the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and other national security operations. His service has earned him numerous awards, including the Corps Medal of Honour, Grand Service Star, and Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award.
Lieutenant General Oluyede, aged 56, is married with three children.
