Olufemi Oluyede assumes command as 24th Chief of Army Staff

On Monday, the Nigerian Army held a symbolic lowering and hoisting of the command flag at Army Headquarters as Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede officially assumed command as the 24th Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

Oluyede’s appointment followed the death of his predecessor, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja. President Bola Tinubu appointed him on October 30, 2024, in an acting capacity, and the Senate and House of Representatives confirmed his appointment shortly after.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, had formally handed over the insignia of office to Oluyede on November 1, in line with the Armed Forces Act. This ceremonial act marked the beginning of his leadership at the helm of the Nigerian Army.

Prior to his new role, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the Nigerian Army’s elite Infantry Corps, based in Jaji, Kaduna. Oluyede and the late Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja were coursemates in the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), where they were part of the 39th Regular Course.

Oluyede was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1992 and achieved the rank of Major General in 2020.

The 56-year-old military leader is now poised to lead the Army through a period of continued security challenges, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his years of service.