Chief of Army Staff (Nigeria)
Chief of Army Staff | |
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![]() Seal of the Chief of Army Staff | |
![]() Flag of the Chief of Army Staff | |
since 23 June 2023 | |
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Abbreviation | COAS |
Member of |
|
Reports to | Chief of Defence Staff |
Seat | Nigerian Army Headquarters, Abuja |
Appointer | President of Nigeria |
Inaugural holder | Kenneth G. Exham Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (indigenous) |
Formation | 1956 |
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has been the title of the professional head of the Nigerian Army since 1966.[1] Prior to 1966, the title was General Officer Commanding, Nigerian Army (GOCNA). Since 1980, the post has been immediately subordinate to the Chief of Defence Staff, the post held by the professional head of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The position is often occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the President of Nigeria.[2]
The current Chief of Army Staff is Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, who succeeded Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, in June 2023.
Role
In the chain of command, the Chief of Army Staff reports to the Chief of Defence Staff, who in turn, reports to the Defence Minister, accountable to the President of Nigeria.[3] The Statutory duty of the Officer is to formulate and execute policies towards the highest attainment of National Security and operational competence of the Nigerian Army.[4]
Chiefs of the Nigerian Army
Following is a chronological list of officers holding the position of General Officer Commanding (GOC) or Chief of Army Staff (COAS).[5]
General Officer Commanding
No. | Portrait | General Officer Commanding | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kenneth G. Exham | Major general1956 | 1959 | 2–3 years | |
2 | Norman Foster | Major general1959 | 1963 | 3–4 years | |
3 | John Alexander Mackenzie | Major general1963 | 1963 | 0 years | |
4 | Sir Christopher Welby-Everard (1909–1996) | Major general1963 | February 1965 | 1–2 years | |
5 | Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (1924–1966) Later military ruler | Major generalFebruary 1965 | 15 January 1966 | 0–1 years |
Chief of Army Staff
No. | Portrait | Chief of Army Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Yakubu Gowon FSS (born 1934) Later military ruler | Lieutenant colonelJanuary 1966 | July 1966 | 6 months | [citation needed] | |
2 | Joseph Akahan OFR FSS (1937–1968) | Lieutenant colonelJuly 1966 | May 1968 † | 1 year, 9 months | [citation needed] | |
3 | Hassan Usman Katsina RCDS, PSC (1933–1995) | Major generalMay 1968 | January 1971 | 2 years, 8 months | [citation needed] | |
4 | David Ejoor (1932–2019) | Major generalJanuary 1971 | July 1975 | 4 years, 6 months | [citation needed] | |
5 | Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (born 1938) | Lieutenant generalJuly 1975 | October 1979 | 4 years, 3 months | [citation needed] | |
6 | Ipoola Alani Akinrinade CFR FSS (born 1939) later Chief of Defence Staff | Lieutenant generalOctober 1979 | April 1980 | 6 months | [citation needed] | |
7 | Gibson Jalo CFR FSS, JSS (1939–2000) later Chief of Defence Staff | Lieutenant generalApril 1980 | October 1981 | 1 year, 6 months | [citation needed] | |
8 | Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi CFR FSS (1940–2021) | Lieutenant generalOctober 1981 | October 1983 | 2 years | [citation needed] | |
9 | Ibrahim Babangida (born 1941) Later military ruler | Major generalJanuary 1984 | August 1985 | 1 year, 7 months | [citation needed] | |
10 | Sani Abacha GCON , DSS, mni (1943–1998) Later military ruler | Lieutenant generalAugust 1985 | August 1990 | 5 years | [citation needed] | |
11 | Salihu Ibrahim FSS , FHWC (1935–2018) | Lieutenant generalAugust 1990 | September 1993 | 3 years, 1 month | [citation needed] | |
12 | Aliyu Mohammed Gusau DSS, rcds (born 1943) | Lieutenant generalSeptember 1993 | November 1993 | 2 months | [citation needed] | |
13 | Chris Alli CRG, DSS, ndc, psc(+) (born 1944) | Major generalNovember 1993 | August 1994 | 9 months | [citation needed] | |
14 | Alwali Kazir DSS, Usawc, psc(+) (born 1947) | Major generalAugust 1994 | March 1996 | 1 year, 7 months | [citation needed] | |
15 | Ishaya Bamaiyi DSS, Usawc, psc(+) (born 1949) | Lieutenant generalMarch 1996 | May 1999 | 3 years, 2 months | [citation needed] | |
16 | Victor Malu DSS, mni, fwc, psc (1947–2017) | Lieutenant generalMay 1999 | April 2001 | 1 year, 11 months | [citation needed] | |
17 | Alexander Ogomudia (born 1949) Later Chief of Defence Staff | Lieutenant generalApril 2001 | June 2003 | 2 years, 2 months | [citation needed] | |
18 | Martin Luther Agwai (born 1948) Later Chief of Defence Staff | Lieutenant generalJune 2003 | June 2006 | 3 years | [citation needed] | |
19 | Owoye Andrew Azazi (1952–2012) Later Chief of Defence Staff | Lieutenant general1 June 2006 | May 2007 | 11 months | [citation needed] | |
20 | Luka Yusuf CFR, GSS, GPP, DSO, psc(+), fwc, Msc (1952–2009) | Lieutenant generalJune 2007 | August 2008 | 1 year, 3 months | [citation needed] | |
21 | Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau CFR, GSS, psc, ndc, fwc(+) (born 1954) | Lieutenant generalAugust 2008 | September 2010 | 2 years, 1 month | [citation needed] | |
22 | Azubuike Ihejirika CFR, GSS, psc(+), fwc, fniqs (born 1956) | Lieutenant generalSeptember 2010 | January 2014 | 3 years, 4 months | [6] | |
23 | Kenneth Minimah GSS, psc(+), fwc (born 1959) | Lieutenant generalJanuary 2014 | July 2015 | 1 year, 6 months | [7] | |
24 | Tukur Yusuf Buratai NAM, GSS, psc(+), ndc (BD) (born 1960) | Lieutenant general16 July 2015 | 28 January 2021 | 5 years, 6 months | [8] | |
25 | Ibrahim Attahiru (1966–2021) | Lieutenant general28 January 2021 | 21 May 2021 † | 3 months | [9][10] | |
26 | Farouk Yahaya (born 1966) | Lieutenant general27 May 2021 | 23 June 2023 | 2 years | [11][12] | |
27 | Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja (born 1968) | Lieutenant general23 June 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 1 month | [13] |
See also
References
- ^ "Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan sacks military chiefs". BBC News. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ^ "President sacks Service Chiefs, names replacements". Daily Independent. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ^ "Minimah, Jibrin, Amosu Appointed Service Chiefs". Thisdaylive. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ^ "Chief of Army Staff vows military will end insurgency". Premium Times. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ^ "Chronicle of Command". The Nigerian Army. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
- ^ "Former Chief of Army Staff, GENERAL AZUBUIKE IHEJIRIKA set to join Abia guber race". encomium.ng. 14 February 2014.
- ^ "More retirement looms in the Army: Gen. Minimah tipped to succeed Gen. Ihejirika". DailyPost Nigeria.
- ^ George, Agba. "Major General TY Buratai New Chief Of Army Staff". Retrieved 28 August 2021.
- ^ "Buhari don sack im service chiefs, appoint new ones - see di new ones here" – via www.bbc.com.
- ^ "Nigerian army chief Ibrahim Attahiru killed in air crash". bbc.com/news. BBC. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
- ^ "New Chief of Army Staff: Buhari appoint Major General Farouk Yahaya to replace late Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ "Buhari names Major-General Farouk Yahaya as new army chief". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 27 May 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
- ^ Ariemu, Ogaga (20 June 2023). "10 interesting things to know about new COAS, Maj Gen Lagbaja". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 23 August 2023.