Major General Olufemi Oluyede has formally taken over as the Acting Chief of Army Staff in a handover ceremony held at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
The Defence Headquarters revealed this in photos from the ceremony shared on X.com.
The caption read, “Formal Taking Over Ceremony of the Acting Chief of Army Staff, Major General OO Oluyede.”
He was appointed in an acting capacity by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, pending the return of the indisposed substantive COAS, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.
Until his appointment, Oluyede reportedly 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.
Oluyede’s appointment came a few days after the Defence Headquarters stated that the appointment of an acting COAS was not recognised under the Harmonised Armed Forces Act.
However, a notice on Thursday, signed by Group Captain Chris Erondu on behalf of the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, stated that the handover ceremony would be held at the Defence Headquarters conference room at 10 am.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, was among those in attendance at the handover ceremony.