Chief of Army Staff (Nigeria)

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Chief of Army Staff
Seal for Chief of the Army Staff (Nigeria).svg
Seal for Chief of the Army Staff
Standard for the Chief of Army Staff (Nigeria).svg
Flag of the Chief of Army Staff
Farouk Yahaya portrait as Chief of Army Staff (Nigeria).jpg
Incumbent
Lt Gen Farouk Yahaya
since 27 May 2021
Ministry of Defence
AbbreviationCOAS
Member of
  • National Security Council
  • National Defence Council
Reports toChief of Defence Staff
AppointerPresident of Nigeria

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) is the highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Army.[1] The position is often occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the President of Nigeria.[2]

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 force.[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. Picture General Officer Commanding Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
1
Kenneth G. Exham
Exham, KennethMajor general
Kenneth G. Exham		195619592–3 years–
2
Norman Foster
Foster, NormanMajor general
Norman Foster		196019633–4 years–
3
John Alexander Mackenzie
Mackenzie, JohnMajor general
196319630 years–
4
Sir Christopher Welby-Everard
Welby-Everard, ChristopherMajor general
Sir Christopher Welby-Everard
(1909–1996)		196319651–2 years–
5
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
Aguiyi-Ironsi, JohnsonMajor general
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
(1924–1966)		196515 January 19660–1 years–

Chief of Army Staff[]

No. Picture Chief of Army Staff Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
1
Yakubu Gowon FSS
Gowon, YakubuLieutenant colonel
Yakubu Gowon FSS
(born 1934)
Later military ruler		January 1966July 19666 months–
2
Joseph Akahan OFR FSS
Akahan, JosephLieutenant colonel
Joseph Akahan OFR FSS
(1937–1968)		May 1967May 1968 †1 year–
3
Hassan Katsina RCDS, PSC
Katsina, HassanMajor general
Hassan Katsina RCDS, PSC
(1933–1995)		May 1968January 19712 years, 8 months–
4
David Ejoor
Ejoor, DavidMajor general
David Ejoor
(1932–2019)		January 1971July 19754 years, 6 months–
5
Theophilus Danjuma
Danjuma, TheophilusLieutenant general
Theophilus Danjuma
(born 1938)		July 1975October 19794 years, 3 months–
6
Ipoola Alani Akinrinade CFR FSS
Akinrinade, IpoolaLieutenant general
Ipoola Alani Akinrinade CFR FSS
(born 1939)
Later Chief of Defence Staff		October 1979April 19806 months–
7
Gibson Jalo CFR FSS, JSS
Jalo, GibsonLieutenant general
Gibson Jalo CFR FSS, JSS
(1939–2000)
Later Chief of Defence Staff		April 1980October 19811 year, 6 months–
8
Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi CFR FSS
Wushishi, MohammedLieutenant general
Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi CFR FSS
(1940–2021)		October 1981October 19832 years–
9
Ibrahim Babangida
Babangida, IbrahimMajor general
Ibrahim Babangida
(born 1941)
Later military ruler		January 1984August 19851 year, 7 months–
10
Sani Abacha GCON , DSS, mni
Abacha, SaniLieutenant general
Sani Abacha GCON , DSS, mni
(1943–1998)
Later military ruler		August 1985August 19905 years–
11
Salihu Ibrahim FSS , FHWC
Abacha, SaniLieutenant general
Salihu Ibrahim FSS , FHWC
(1925–2018)		August 1990September 19933 years, 1 month–
12
Aliyu Mohammed Gusau DSS, rcds
Gusau, AliyuLieutenant general
Aliyu Mohammed Gusau DSS, rcds
(born 1943)		September 1993November 19932 months–
13
Chris Alli CRG, DSS, ndc, psc(+)
Alli, ChrisMajor general
Chris Alli CRG, DSS, ndc, psc(+)
(born 1944)		November 1993August 19949 months–
14
Alwali Kazir DSS, Usawc, psc(+)
Kazir, AlwaliMajor general
Alwali Kazir DSS, Usawc, psc(+)
(born 1947)
as Chief of Army		August 1994March 19961 year, 7 months–
15
Ishaya Bamaiyi DSS, Usawc, psc(+)
Kazir, AlwaliLieutenant general
Ishaya Bamaiyi DSS, Usawc, psc(+)
(born 1949)		March 1996May 19993 years, 2 months–
16
Victor Malu DSS, mni, fwc, psc
Malu, VictorLieutenant general
Victor Malu DSS, mni, fwc, psc
(1947–2017)		May 1999April 20011 year, 11 months–
17
Alexander Ogomudia
Ogomudia, AlexanderLieutenant general
Alexander Ogomudia
(born 1949)
Later Chief of Defence Staff		April 2001June 20032 years, 2 months–
18
Martin Luther Agwai
Agwai, MartinLieutenant general
Martin Luther Agwai
(born 1948)
Later Commander of the UNAMID		June 2003June 20063 years–
19
Owoye Andrew Azazi
Azazi, OwoyeLieutenant general
Owoye Andrew Azazi
(1952–2012)
Later Chief of Defence Staff		1 June 2006May 200711 months–
20
Luka Yusuf CFR, GSS, GPP, DSO, psc(+), fwc, Msc
Yusuf, LukaLieutenant general
Luka Yusuf CFR, GSS, GPP, DSO, psc(+), fwc, Msc
(1952–2009)		June 2007August 20081 year, 3 months–
21
Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau CFR, GSS, psc, ndc, fwc(+)
Dambazau, AbdulrahmanLieutenant general
Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau CFR, GSS, psc, ndc, fwc(+)
(born 1954)		August 2008September 20102 years, 1 month–
22
Azubuike Ihejirika CFR, GSS, psc(+), fwc, fniqs
Ihejirika, AzubuikeLieutenant general
Azubuike Ihejirika CFR, GSS, psc(+), fwc, fniqs
(born 1956)		September 2010January 20143 years, 4 months–
23
Kenneth Minimah GSS, psc(+), fwc
Minimah, KennethLieutenant general
Kenneth Minimah GSS, psc(+), fwc
(born 1959)		January 2014July 20151 year, 6 months–
24
Tukur Yusuf Buratai NAM, GSS, psc(+), ndc (BD)
Buratai, TukurLieutenant general
Tukur Yusuf Buratai NAM, GSS, psc(+), ndc (BD)
(born 1960)		July 201526 January 20215 years, 6 months[6]
25
Attahiru Ibrahim
Ibrahim, AttahiruLieutenant general
Attahiru Ibrahim
(1966–2021)		26 January 202121 May 2021 †3 months[7][8]
26
Farouk Yahaya
Yahaya, FaroukLieutenant general
Farouk Yahaya
(born 1966)		27 May 2021Incumbent8 months[9][10]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan sacks military chiefs". BBC News. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  2. ^ "President sacks Service Chiefs, names replacements". Daily Independent. Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  3. ^ "Minimah, Jibrin, Amosu Appointed Service Chiefs". Thisdaylive. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  4. ^ "Chief of Army Staff vows military will end insurgency". Premium Times. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  5. ^ "Chronicle of Command". The Nigerian Army. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
  6. ^ George, Agba. "Major General TY Buratai New Chief Of Army Staff". Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  7. ^ "Buhari don sack im service chiefs, appoint new ones - see di new ones here" – via www.bbc.com.
  8. ^ "Nigerian army chief Ibrahim Attahiru killed in air crash". bbc.com/news. BBC. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Buhari don apoint new Chief of Army Staff". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Buhari names Major-General Farouk Yahaya as new army chief". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 2021-05-27. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
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