Ever since Nigeria switched over to democratic system of government in 1999, the country has witnessed 11 Chief of Army Staff (COAS) till date. The appointment of COAS is mainly carry out by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Commander-in-chief of Army Force.

The Chief of Army Staff is the highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Army. The position is often occupied by the most senior commissioned officer. The Chief of Army Staff reports to the Chief of Defence Staff, who also reports to the Defence Minister, who then reports to the President.

The Statutory duty of COAS is to formulate and execute policies towards the highest attainment of National Security and operational competence of the force.

Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari the eleventh Chief of Army Staff  as Lieutenant General Attahiru Ibrahim on Friday, following the result of death of former Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Attahiru Ibrahim on 21st May 2021.

Attahiru was appointed on January 2021 but died May 21st 2021 in plane crash.

Below are the Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff since 1999

1. Lieutenant-General Victor Malu — he took office in May 1999 and left office in April 2001, serving for one year and 11 months.

2. Lieutenant-General Alexander Ogomudia — he took office in April 2001 and left office in June 2003, serving for two years and two months.

3. Lieutenant-General Martin Agwai — he took office in June 2003 and left office in June 2006, serving for three years.

4. Lieutenant-General Owoye Azazi — he took office in June 2006 and left office in May 2007, serving for 11 months.

5. Lieutenant-General Luka Yusuf — he took office in June 2007 and left office in August 2008, serving for one year and 3 months.

6. Lieutenant-General Bello Pambazau — he took office in August 2008 and left in September 2010, serving for two years and one month.

7. Lieutenant-General Azubuike Ihejirika — he took office in September 2010 and left in January 2014, serving for three years and four months.

8. Lieutenant-General Kenneth Minimah — he took office in January 2014 and left in July 2015, serving for one year and six months.

9. Lieutenant-General Tukur Yusuf Buratai — he took office in July 2015 and left on January 26, 2021, serving for five years and six months. He is the longest-serving COAS since the nation’s Fourth Republic.

10. Lieutenant-General Attahiru Ibrahim — he took office in January 2021 and died in an aircraft accident on May 21, 2021, serving for just three months. His tragic death made him the COAS with the shortest stay in office since 1999.

11. Major-General Farouk Yahaya — he took office in May 2021 and is currently serving as the COAS. Prior to his appointment, Yahaya was the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army and the theatre commander of a military counter-terrorism unit in the North East.