The Senate on Wednesday conducted a closed-door screening of the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede.
The screening followed President Bola Tinubu’s formal request for the Senate to confirm Oluyede’s appointment, which was read during Tuesday’s plenary session.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Sen. Abdulaziz Yar’adua, opened the session by expressing condolences to Oluyede over the passing of his predecessor, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja. He commended Lagbaja for his contributions to the Nigerian Army, including innovations like the Nigerian Army Aviation unit.
“It is a known fact that the nation is currently bedevilled by a multiplicity of security challenges requiring cogent and urgent solutions,” Yar’adua stated.
He praised the Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces for their sacrifices in combating insurgency and other criminal activities across the country. “I want to use this opportunity to commend the gallantry of the officers and men of the Nigerian Army. Some of them laid down their lives for these successes,” he said.
Yar’adua emphasized the importance of Oluyede’s professional expertise, strategic knowledge, and vision in addressing Nigeria’s security needs. He highlighted the acting COAS’s role in defending the nation against external threats, maintaining territorial integrity, and securing borders.
“Your abilities to offer proposals toward finding solutions to military funding and welfare of personnel will be of interest to this country,” Yar’adua added.
The screening process is expected to assess Oluyede’s capacity to lead the Nigerian Army in tackling pressing security challenges while enhancing the welfare and operational effectiveness of military personnel.
