Chief of Army Staff (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]

Chief of Army Staff
Seal for Chief of the Army Staff
Flag of the Chief of Army Staff
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

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 CommandingTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Exham, KennethMajor general
Kenneth G. Exham		195619592–3 years–
2
Foster, NormanMajor general
Norman Foster		196019633–4 years–
3
Mackenzie, JohnMajor general
John Alexander Mackenzie		196319630 years–
4
Welby-Everard, ChristopherMajor general
Sir Christopher Welby-Everard
(1909–1996)		196319651–2 years–
5
Aguiyi-Ironsi, JohnsonMajor general
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
(1924–1966)		196515 January 19660–1 years–

Chief of Army Staff
No. Picture Chief of Army StaffTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef.
1
Gowon, YakubuLieutenant colonel
Yakubu Gowon FSS
(born 1934)
Later military ruler		January 1966July 19666 months–
2
Akahan, JosephLieutenant colonel
Joseph Akahan OFR FSS
(1937–1968)		May 1967May 1968 †1 year–
3
Katsina, HassanMajor general
Hassan Katsina RCDS, PSC
(1933–1995)		May 1968January 19712 years, 8 months–
4
Ejoor, DavidMajor general
David Ejoor
(1932–2019)		January 1971July 19754 years, 6 months–
5
Danjuma, TheophilusLieutenant general
Theophilus Danjuma
(born 1938)		July 1975October 19794 years, 3 months–
6
Akinrinade, IpoolaLieutenant general
Ipoola Alani Akinrinade CFR FSS
(born 1939)
Later Chief of Defence Staff		October 1979April 19806 months–
7
Jalo, GibsonLieutenant general
Gibson Jalo CFR FSS, JSS
(1939–2000)
Later Chief of Defence Staff		April 1980October 19811 year, 6 months–
8
Wushishi, MohammedLieutenant general
Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi CFR FSS
(1940–2021)		October 1981October 19832 years–
9
Babangida, IbrahimMajor general
Ibrahim Babangida
(born 1941)
Later military ruler		January 1984August 19851 year, 7 months–
10
Abacha, SaniLieutenant general
Sani Abacha GCON , DSS, mni
(1943–1998)
Later military ruler		August 1985August 19905 years–
11
Abacha, SaniLieutenant general
Salihu Ibrahim FSS , FHWC
(1925–2018)		August 1990September 19933 years, 1 month–
12
Gusau, AliyuLieutenant general
Aliyu Mohammed Gusau DSS, rcds
(born 1943)		September 1993November 19932 months–
13
Alli, ChrisMajor general
Chris Alli CRG, DSS, ndc, psc(+)
(born 1944)		November 1993August 19949 months–
14
Kazir, AlwaliMajor general
Alwali Kazir DSS, Usawc, psc(+)
(born 1947)
as Chief of Army		August 1994March 19961 year, 7 months–
15
Kazir, AlwaliLieutenant general
Ishaya Bamaiyi DSS, Usawc, psc(+)
(born 1949)		March 1996May 19993 years, 2 months–
16
Malu, VictorLieutenant general
Victor Malu DSS, mni, fwc, psc
(1947–2017)		May 1999April 20011 year, 11 months–
17
Ogomudia, AlexanderLieutenant general
Alexander Ogomudia
(born 1949)
Later Chief of Defence Staff		April 2001June 20032 years, 2 months–
18
Agwai, MartinLieutenant general
Martin Luther Agwai
(born 1948)
Later Commander of the UNAMID		June 2003June 20063 years–
19
Azazi, OwoyeLieutenant general
Owoye Andrew Azazi
(1952–2012)
Later Chief of Defence Staff		1 June 2006May 200711 months–
20
Yusuf, LukaLieutenant general
Luka Yusuf CFR, GSS, GPP, DSO, psc(+), fwc, Msc
(1952–2009)		June 2007August 20081 year, 3 months–
21
Dambazau, AbdulrahmanLieutenant general
Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau CFR, GSS, psc, ndc, fwc(+)
(born 1954)		August 2008September 20102 years, 1 month–
22
Ihejirika, AzubuikeLieutenant general
Azubuike Ihejirika CFR, GSS, psc(+), fwc, fniqs
(born 1956)		September 2010January 20143 years, 4 months–
23
Minimah, KennethLieutenant general
Kenneth Minimah GSS, psc(+), fwc
(born 1959)		January 2014July 20151 year, 6 months–
24
Buratai, TukurLieutenant general
Tukur Yusuf Buratai NAM, GSS, psc(+), ndc (BD)
(born 1960)		July 201526 January 20215 years, 6 months[6]
25
Ibrahim, AttahiruLieutenant general
Attahiru Ibrahim
(1966–2021)		26 January 202121 May 2021 †3 months[7][8]
26
Yahaya, FaroukLieutenant general
Farouk Yahaya
(born 1966)		27 May 2021Incumbent10 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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