President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Major General Farouk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
His appointment followed the demise of former army chief Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, who lost his life in a plane crash at the age of 54.
Here is what you need to know about the 55-year-old new army chief:
The new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) was born on 5 January 1966 in Sifawa, Bodinga Local Government Area of Sokoto state.
Maj Gen Yahaya is a member of the 37 Regular Course of the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
He started his cadet training on 27 September 1985 and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps on 22 September 1990.
Maj Gen 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).
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 Faruk Yahaya was the Theatre Commander Operation HADIN KAI, responsible for Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency operations in the North-East.
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.
- He is happily married and blessed with children.
- The new COAS hails from Zamfara State.
