President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Wednesday, approved the appointment of Major-General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting chief of army staff (COAS).
The appointment came after a month-long absence of the substantive COAS, Lt.-General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who was said to be away on his annual leave.
There were conflicting reports on Lagbaja’s state of health, with the military headquarters saying the army chief was abroad for medical treatment.
His non-appearance from public space fuelled death rumour which the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) quickly debunked.
And not long ago, precisely last week, the DHQ also dismissed reports that an acting COAS had been appointed in place of Lagbaja.
Debunking the report in a statement Monday 21, October, Director Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, said there was no provision for an acting Chief of Army Staff in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Gusau clarified that the Chief of Policy and Plans, Major General Abdulsalam Ibrahim, was only providing routine briefs to the Chief of Army Staff under the Standard Operating Procedures.
He said: “The Defence Headquarters wishes to clarify that it has not announced the appointment of any senior officer as Acting Chief of Army Staff, contrary to speculation by certain media outlets. For the record, no such appointment exists within the AFN.”
…Acting army chief named
And to clear the air, President Tinubu, according to a statement by his special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced Major General Oluyede as the acting army chief.
Onanuga said: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has appointed Major General Olufemi Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
“Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.
“Until his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna. The 56-year-old Oluyede and Lagbaja were course mates and members of the 39th Regular Course.
“He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987. He rose to Major-General in September 2020.
“Oluyede has held many command positions since his commissioning as an officer. He was Platoon Commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, Company Commander at 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer Guards Brigade, Commandant Amphibious Training School.
“General Oluyede 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, where he commanded 27 Task Force Brigade.
“Oluyede has earned many honours for his meritorious service in various fields of operations. These include the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, Passing the Staff Course, and Membership in the National Institute.
“Others are the Field Command Medal, the Field Command Medal of Honour, and the Field Training Medal. Oluyede also received the coveted Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award. He is married and has three children.”
..DHQ, Amy dismiss Niger Assembly claim on Kontagora
Meanwhile, the DHQ Wednesday debunked media reports credited to the Niger State House of Assembly over alleged occupation of the Nigerian Army military training area in Kontagora local government area of the state, by bandits.
Blueprint reports that the Niger state House of Assembly Tuesday passed a resolution urging Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to liaise with the military in ensuring that bandits are flushed out of the largest military training camp in Kontagora area of the state.
But, the top military echelon described the allegations as “incorrect and inaccurate with realities on the ground. “
While admitting that troops had encounters with bandits in the area, Director Defence Media Operations Maj-Gen Edward Buba, in a statement, insisted no part of the area was under bandits’ control.
“While, it is understood that troops have recorded encounters with terrorists in the course of operating in the general area, no inch of the training area has been ceded to the terrorist. Indeed, troops constantly eliminate the threat posed by terrorist criss crossing the vast area. Our clearance operations in the area have denied the terrorist freedom of action,” he said.
Buba said: “Additionally, the armed forces seize the opportunity to clarify that our ongoing operations, particularly in Niger state, are against terrorists. It is therefore erroneous for such threats to be described in any other form other than terrorist.”
He said the armed forces were working closely with the Niger state government to ensure improved security in the state and for the citizens.
“Our troops are not relenting to ensure total destruction of these terrorists wherever they may be hiding,” the statement further added.
In a similar denial, the Nigerian Army said its training areas remained secured, fortified, and designed to swiftly neutralise any security threat.
“The Nigerian Army remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the lives and property of our host communities and Nigerians in general,” it said.
In a separate statement Wednesday by its spokesperson, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachuckwu, the army said the reports “are utterly misleading and harmful.”
The army described it as a calculated attempt to incite unnecessary panic in the neighbourhood.
Nwachukwu said “no credible threat exists in the area as being peddled and contrary to the information presented by Honourable Abdullahi Isah, representing the Kontagora II Constituency on the floor of the Niger State House of Assembly.”
Nwachuckwu said a thorough investigation by its intelligence unit confirmed that the individuals observed in the area were herders seeking grazing grounds for their herds.
“No malicious intent was detected, and no hostile actions were observed,” he said.