Tinubu promotes Olufemi Oluyede, acting army chief, to lieutenant-general

President Bola Tinubu has promoted Olufemi Oluyede, acting chief of army staff, to the rank of lieutenant-general.

Sources told TheCable on Tuesday evening that Oluyede’s decoration is ongoing at the presidential villa.

Until his promotion, Oluyede was a major general.

He was appointed as the acting army chief by the president on October 30.

In a statement, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed Taoreed Lagbaja, the substantive COAS.

There have been speculations about the state of health of Lagbaja, who the military headquarters said is abroad for medical treatment.

His continued absence has fuelled speculations that he had died, but the military authorities have denied the rumour.

The DHQ said Lagbaja is currently observing his annual leave and is “hale and hearty”.

Oluyede served as the 56th commander of the infantry corps of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna.

He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992 and rose to the position of major general in September 2020.