The Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Mohammadu Buhari has appointed Major General Farouk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff.
This appointment is coming six (6) days after the death of the COAS, Late Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, together with 6 other senior officers who lost their lives in an air mishap in Kaduna.
Meanwhile, the Acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier General, Onyema Nwachukwu in a statement said, Prior to his appointment Major General Yahaya was the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army and the incumbent Theatre Commander of the Counter terrorism Counter Insurgency military outfit in the North East code named Operation HADIN KAI.
TheFact Nigeria had earlier reported that speculations were rife that Major General Faruk Yahaya of Regular Course 37 from Zamfara State may likely become the new COAS.
He was formerly the Theatre Commander Operation in the North-East and former General Officer Commanding Officer, 1 Division.
Others on our list were Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division of Nigerian Army, Kaduna.
The Chief of Policy and Plan, Major General Ben Ahanotu of Regular Course 35 from Anambra State. He was the commander of the operation that captured Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf and his followers at their hideout in Maiduguri in 2009 before handing them over to the Police.
Major General AM Aliyu of Regular Course 36 from Gombe State is another operation officer. He is the Chief of Administration and former Director Foreign Liaison at the Defence Intelligence Agency. He was responsible for processing intelligence for military operations.
Major General Ibrahim Manu Yusuf of Regular Course 37 from Yobe State. He is Chief of Operation and former Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force, MNJTF. Yusuf, formerly of the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, lectured at the Nigerian Defence College, NDC, Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, and Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre, NAPKC, Jaji.
