Senate confirms Farouk Yahaya as Chief of Army Staff

The Senate, on Tuesday, confirmed the appointment of Major General Farouk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

The red chamber took the decision after the deliberation of the report of its joint committee on Defence and Army led by senators Aliyu Wamakko and Ali Ndume.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan had on June 2, mentioned the request of President Muhammadu Buhari for the confirmation of Yahaya to the committees.

The Defence Committee, which is led by Wamakko was directed to be the lead panel to screen the newly appointed Chief of Army Staff.

Yahaya was appointed by President Buhari as COAS following the death of the former, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Athahiru in a plane crash in Kaduna along with 10 others in May.

Until his appointment, Yayaha was the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operation in the North-East.

He was a member of 37 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna.