The newly appointed Chief of Army Staff, Maj-Gen. Farouk Yahaya, yesterday assumed the leadership of the Nigerian Army as the 22nd Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Thursday approved the appointment of Yahaya following the death of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, in a plane crash in Kaduna on May 21.

The new COAS was until his appointment the Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, the military counter-insurgency operation in the North East.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Yahaya had earlier visited the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, before going to the Army Headquarters for the taking over ceremony.

He was received at AHQ by the Chief of Policy and Plan, Maj-Gen. Ben Ahanotu, who also briefed him before he proceeded to assume office.

The COAS however asked for a minute silence in honour of the late Attahiru and other officers who died with him, after which he asked journalists to leave the hall for closed door meeting with officers.

He did not make any public statement before departing the Army Headquarters.

NAN reports that the new COAS was born on January 5, 1966 in Sifawa, Bodinga Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Yahaya, who is a member of the 37 Regular Course of the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), started his cadet training on September 27, 1985 and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps on September 22, 1990.

He 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 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. 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 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 Defence Course (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 married and blessed with children.