From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has just decorated the Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Farouk Yahaya, with a new rank of Lieutenant General at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
In a short ceremony before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the president assisted by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and COAS’s wife, Hajiya Salamatu Yahaya, decorated Gen Yahaya.
Present at the brief ceremony were some members of the Federal Executive Council, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; National Security Adviser (NSA) Major-General Babagana Monguno (retd); Minister of Defense Major-General Bashir Salihi Magashi; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defense Senator Ali Ndume; and wife of the Chief of Army Staff, Hajiya Salamatu Yahaya, among others.
Also in attendance today at church top military brass including the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Isiaka Amao, Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) Major General Sunday Adebayo, DG Department of State Service (DSS) Yusuf Bichi, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba.
Yahaya was appointed following the death of late Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, who died in a military plane crash on May 21 along with ten other army officers and men.
Prior to his appointment, the new Army Chief served as the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, a counter-insurgency operation in the North East.