Ndudi Anyim
President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Major General Faruk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
Yahaya who was has close to 30 years experience as an officer of the Nigerian Army (NA), was born on January 5, 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.
Security Watch Africa reports that Yahaya has held several appointments including Staff, Instructional and Command; 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).
Happily married with children, the COAS 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. Faruk Yahaya was the Theatre Commander Operation HADIN KAI, responsible for Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency operations in North East Nigeria.
The new COAS is a proud 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.
Recall that Yahaya was appointed following the unfortunate death of Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru in a plane crash recently.