The acting Chief of Army Staff, Maj Gen Olufemi Oluyede will assume duties today (Friday).
Oluyede was appointed in an acting capacity by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, pending the return of the indisposed substantive COAS, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja.
His 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.
In a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Brig Gen Tukur Gusau, on October 21, the DHQ clarified that no such appointment existed within the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The rebuttal followed reports by a social media blogger, Jackson Ude, claiming that Lagbaja had died of cancer.
Reacting to the post on X, the Nigerian Army marked it as fake news.
However, a notice on Thursday, signed by Group Captain Chris Erondu on behalf of the Director of Defence Information, Brig Gen Tukur Gusau, stated that the handover ceremony would be held at the Defence Headquarters conference room at 10 am.
It read, “The formal taking over ceremony of the newly appointed acting Chief of Army Staff, Major General Olufemi Oluyede, is scheduled for tomorrow as follows: Date: 1 November 2024; Time: 1000hrs; Venue: DHQ Conference Room, Abuja. Thank you for your cooperation.”
