The newly appointed Acting Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, is set to formally assume his duties on Friday, November 1.
President Bola Tinubu appointed Oluyede on Wednesday to temporarily fill the role of Chief of Army Staff, as Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja is currently indisposed.
This decision follows recent statements from the Defence Headquarters, clarifying that the Armed Forces of Nigeria does not officially recognize an “acting” Chief of Army Staff position under the Harmonised Armed Forces Act.
The Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, addressed the issue following social media rumors falsely claiming that Lagbaja had passed away, which the Army has categorically dismissed as untrue.
On Thursday, Group Captain Chris Erondu, on behalf of Brig. Gen. Gusau, confirmed that a formal handover ceremony would be held in 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,” read the official notice.
The ceremony represents a crucial transition as Maj. Gen. Oluyede steps into the role to ensure continuity in military operations across the nation, pending Lt. Gen. Lagbaja’s return.