Reports have it that the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General Farouk Yahaya, was hinted of his new appointment Wednesday night, by a top Presidency official.
According to our sources, the new COAS was merely told to prepare to take over the headship of the army from tomorrow (Today, Thursday, May 27, 2021) by the official who also told him that it will be announced on Thursday (May 27, 2021).
Meanwhile, Presidency sources said he may be decorated on Friday by President Muhammadu Buhari and will be promoted to the rank of a Lieutenant General thereafter.
Profile:
Major General Farouk Yahaya was born on 5 January 1966 in Sifawa, Bodinga Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The new COAS who is a member of the 37 Regular Course of the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), started his cadet training on 27 September 1985 and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps on 22 September 1990.
He has held several appointments including Staff, Instructional and Command. Notable among the appointments held by the new COAS are Garrison Commander Headquarters Guards Brigade, Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Deputy Director Army Headquarters Department of Military Secretary, Deputy Director Army Research and Development and the Chief of Staff, Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation Pulo Shield.
The new COAS also served as the Principal General Staff Officer (PGSO) to the Honourable Minister of Defence, the Commander, Headquarters 4 Brigade and 29 Task Force Brigade (Operation Zaman Lafiya). He was also Director Manpower at the Army Headquarters, Military Secretary, Army Headquarters and General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division of the Nigerian Army.
Until his appointment as the COAS, Maj Gen Farouk Yahaya was the Theatre Commander Operation Hadin Kai, responsible for Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency operations in Northeast Nigeria.
The new COAS is a holder of several honours and awards, some of which include, Forces Service Star, Meritorious Service Star, Distinguished Service Star, Grand Service Star, Passed staff course (Dagger), National DefenceCourse (Chile), Economic Community of West Africa State Monitoring Group Medal, Command Medal, Field Command Medal, General Operations Medal, Silver Jubilee Medal and Golden Jubilee Medal. He is happily married and blessed with children.
A statement by Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Acting Director Defence Information of the Nigerian Army described him as a gallant officer.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
