Following the sudden death of Ibrahim Attahiru, who was the Chief of Army Staff, President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Major General Farouk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff.
Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, Acting Director, Defence Information, announced this in a statement on Thursday.
Here are few things to know about him:
- Major General Farouk Yahaya is of Regular Course 37 of the Nigerian Defence Academy
- Yahaya was born on January 5, 1966 in Sifawa, Bodinga Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
- He hails from Zamfara State.
- He started his cadet training on Sept. 27 1985 and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps on Sept. 22, 1990.
- Yahaya 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.
- He 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); Director Manpower at the Army Headquarters, Military Secretary, Army Headquarters and General Officer Commanding (GOC) Headquarters 1 Division of the Nigerian Army.
