The Acting Chief of Army Staff (Ag COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has officially handed over command of the Infantry Corps to his successor, Major General Abdulkalifa Ibrahim, in a formal ceremony held on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at the Headquarters Infantry Corps in Jaji, Kaduna State.
Until President Bola Tinubu appointed him the Acting COAS on 30 October 2024, Lieutenant General Oluyede was the 56th Commander of the Nigerian Army’s infantry corps.
A statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, said the Acting Chief of Army Staff, during the ceremony, promised to prioritise the welfare of troops of the Nigerian Army (NA) as well as the protection of Nigeria and Nigerians.
Speaking further during the handover ceremony, General Oluyede described his successor as a competent senior infantry officer and a perfect gentleman whom he believes will sustain the trajectory of moving the Corps forward. He charged all officers and soldiers of the Corps to give him all the needed cooperation and support to succeed.
The Ag COAS expressed gratitude to all officers and soldiers of the NA for their massive turnout and support during the internment of the late COAS, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, and prayed God to grant him eternal rest and continue to give his family fortitude to bear the loss.
While addressing troops of the Infantry Corps at the Major Bulama Parade Ground, the Ag COAS charged all officers and soldiers of the NA to put the unfortunate incident behind them, get back to work and deal ruthlessly with all criminal elements perpetrating insecurity in the country.
He reassured them that their welfare would be prioritised, affirming that “I am aware of your challenges and will tackle them head-on. Rest assured that anything that is yours will be given to you,” he affirmed.
In his remarks, the new Commander Infantry Corps Major General Abdulkalifa Ibrahim expressed delight at the opportunity to command the Infantry Corps from the Ag COAS, who until a few weeks ago was the Commander Infantry Corps.
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He appreciated the Ag COAS for moving the Infantry Corps forward through the implementation of laudable initiatives and the execution of several infrastructural development projects.
He lauded him for his many years of dedicated service to the Infantry Corps, the Nigerian Army, and the nation at large. Major General Ibrahim pledged to lead the Infantry Corps with integrity, courage, honour, and utmost dedication, embracing best practices in all he did.
“To my brave and dedicated fellow infantry men, both officers and soldiers, I recognise the sacrifices, resilience, and valour that define our infantry tradition. Your selflessness, teamwork, and unwavering loyalty inspire all of us.
“I urge you all to continue to embrace the Army’s core values of loyalty, integrity, discipline, selfless service, respect for others, and courage in the discharge of your responsibilities,” he emphasised.
He further urged all officers and soldiers of the Corps to remain diligent, hardworking, and proactive so as to collectively confront security challenges in troubled regions, uphold the Infantry values, and protect the nation with pride. He added that he is open to ideas that would bring the Corps together and make it more cohesive and efficient.
Major General Abdulkalifa Ibrahim is a member of the 39th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy and hails from Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.
In the course of his illustrious career in the NA, he served as acting Garrison Commander in 1 Division, Commander 14 Brigade, General Officer Commanding 7 Division and also commanded the Multi-National Joint Task Force Ndjamena, Chad among others.
He has attended all courses commensurate to his rank, including the National Defence College Course 23. He had served previously in Jaji at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry as a member of the Training Team and later as Chief Instructor.
He participated in several operations both within and outside the shores of the country, such as Operation Hadin Kai and Operations under the MNJTF. In 2023, the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria awarded him the National honour of the Officer of the Order of the Republic (OFR). Similarly, the Chadian Government awarded him the national honour of ‘National Order of Chad’ (NOOC) for his contributions to peace and security in the Lake Chad Basin.
The Acting COAS later inspected ongoing projects in the Jaji military cantonment and visited the Command Engineering Depot at Rigachukun, Kaduna.
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