5 Likely Reasons Why Buhari Appointed Yahaya As New COAS
- A new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has been appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari
- As the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Buhari reserves the sole right to appoint the COAS
- There are, however, varying considerations the president must take cognisance of before making his appointment known
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President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, May 27 appointed Major General Farouk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
Legit.ng lists 5 likely reasons why Yahaya was appointed the new COAS by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Source: Twitter
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1. Battle-tested
Major-General Yahaya is indeed a commissioned officer but also a typical soldier. He is a battle-tested military chief who has seen it all while serving in the Nigerian Armed Forces. Before his current appointment, he was the Theatre Commander Operation Hadin Kai (formerly Operation Lafiya Dole) in the ongoing northeast counter-insurgency operation.
The position is always reserved for widely experienced officers who have extensive knowledge of military operations and effective security strategy.
2. Regional considerations
There are four top positions in the Nigerian Armed Forces and the occupants are commonly referred to as Service Chiefs. Successive Nigerian governments have always chosen two chiefs from the south and two from the north. President Buhari has maintained the tradition since 2015.
With the death of Major-General Ibrahim Attahiru, the country is left with two Service Chiefs from the south and one from the north. By appointing Major-General Yahaya, Buhari has returned it back to two each for the southern and northern regions.
3. Sub-regional considerations
After appointing two Service Chiefs from the north, there are also considerations for which of the regions in northern Nigeria would produce the military bosses.
Following his pattern in the past, Buhari's two former Service Chiefs from the north were from the northeast, the president has maintained the previous arrangement prior to Attahiru's death, that the two current Service Chiefs from the region will be from the northwest.
4. Regular Course 37
It was widely expected that the president will pick one of the Major-Generals from either Regular Course 35, 36, or 37. This is because Major-Generals under these categories have had extensive experience and occupied different positions in the Nigerian Army.
Yahaya fits the bill. He is a former Army secretary, former GOC and he also attended the Nigerian Defence Academy and the University of Salford.
5. State of Origin
President Buhari has always appointed army chiefs who are from restive states. Former COAS Tukur Buratai was appointed at the time his home state of Borno was under intense attacks from the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Late Attahuiru was appointed at a time his home state of Kaduna was under siege from armed bandits. Yahaya's home state of Sokoto is beginning to face witness an unprecedented incursion of bandits in the last few months
Legit.ng had earlier reported that Yahaya was on Thursday, May 27 appointed as the new COAS by President Buhari with immediate effect.
Legit.ng also listed four key facts to know about the new Army chief here.
Source: Legit.ng
