…No Leadership Vacuum In Army, COAS Lagbaja On Leave – General Nwachukwu
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as Acting Chief of Army Staff, COAS.
A statement issued on Wednesday by Tinubu’s media aide, Bayo Onanuga said Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.
The Army spokesman, Onyema Nwachukwu had in a statement on October 20, amid the rumour of Lagbaja’s death, said that the COAS was on leave.
Onanuga said Lagbaja remains the substantive Chief of Army Staff.
He said, Oluyede until his appointment, “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 coursemates 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 commands 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”.
No Leadership Vacuum In Army, COAS Lagbaja On Leave – General Nwachukwu
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has dismissed media reports suggesting that there is leadership vacuum following the absence of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.
Army spokesman, Onyema Nwachukwu, said Lagbaja is on official leave, and necessary protocols have been put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS during his absence.
Nwachukwu, a major general, emphasised that Lagbaja’s absence is not affecting the operations of the service.
“There have even been insinuations that there is a leadership vacuum, with officers confused about what to do. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said on Saturday.
“To be very clear, the Nigerian Army is a highly structured establishment with well-laid-out procedures and processes for dealing with different circumstances. Before proceeding on leave, necessary protocols were put in place for the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Abdulsalami Bagudu Ibrahim, to act on behalf of the COAS while he was away.
“This is not peculiar to the NA, as there have been instances where unforeseen human frailty kept service chiefs away for about three months, and their Chiefs of Policy and Plans held sway in their absence. Claims of a leadership vacuum in the NA at present are therefore mere speculation, as all routine and scheduled activities of the service are on course.”
The army spokesman said all routine and scheduled activities of the service are on course, adding that the appropriate departmental chiefs are fully carrying out their responsibilities in line with the COAS directives.
He also called on the public to disregard rumours, assuring them of the Nigerian Army’s continued service.
