The newly appointed Acting Chief of Army Staff, Major General Olufemi Oluyede, officially took office today, Friday, November 1, 2024.
According to reports, Oluyede will lead as Chief of Army Staff until Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, who is currently indisposed, returns. In a video shared by TVC, Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa expressed wishes for Lagbaja’s swift recovery and encouraged the military to continue fulfilling its constitutional duties.
Recalls that President Bola Tinubu appointed Oluyede on Wednesday as a temporary replacement for Lagbaja.
This appointment follows recent clarifications from the Defence Headquarters, which previously stated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria does not officially recognize an “acting” Chief of Army Staff under the Harmonised Armed Forces Act.
The Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, addressed the issue following social media reports claiming that Lagbaja had passed away, which the Army dismissed as false.
In a statement released Thursday, Group Captain Chris Erondu, on behalf of Brig. Gen. Gusau, confirmed that a formal handover ceremony would take place at the Defence Headquarters conference room at 10 a.m.
“The formal taking over ceremony of the newly appointed acting Chief of Army Staff, Major General Olufemi Oluyede, is scheduled for November 1, 2024, at the DHQ Conference Room, Abuja,” the notice read.