Senate Confirms Major General Farouk Yahaya As COAS

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The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the nomination of Major General Farouk Yahaya for appointment as Chief of Army Staff (COAS). The confirmation of Yahaya followed the presentation and consideration of the report of the Joint Senate Committee on Defence and Army at plenary. Presenting the report, the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko (APC-Sokoto) said the committee found the nominee suitable to occupy the position. Yahaya was appointed on May 27, 2021, by President Muhammadu Buhari following the death of the former chief of army staff, Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru, in a plane crash, which occurred in Kaduna on May 21, 2021. Before his appointment, Yahaya was the General Officer Commanding Division 1 of the Nigerian Army and Theatre Commander of the Counter-Terrorism, Counter-Insurgency military outfit in the North East codenamed Operation HADIN KAI. Wamakko said the decision was reached given Yahaya’s wide display of in-depth knowledge and experience on strategic tactics of military operations.

He said the committee screened the nominee on issues relating to funding of military operations, general war on terror, insurgency and banditry, strategic military operations, such as hardware and intelligence sharing.

According to him, the committee was satisfied with the robust nature of the engagement and interactions from the nominee.

He said the committee also found out that his nomination was in line with the constitution.

Wamakko said the committee did not receive any petition against the nominee.

He said the nominee had been cleared by the Department of State Services (DSS) and presented his code of conduct acknowledgment slip.

The nominee, Wamakko said, possessed the required academic qualifications to occupy the position of Chief of Army Staff.

He, therefore, urged the Senate to confirm his appointment.