He was also decorated with a new rank of Lieutenant General. The ceremony which was held on Wednesday before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting had in attendance, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao; Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Sunday Adebayo; Director-General, Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.

The event was also witnessed by members of the Cabinet as well as the Chairmen of Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Army.

The newly appointed COAS, Lieutenant General Yahaya takes over from late Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, who died in a military plane crash on May 21, alongside ten other army officers.

Prior to his appointment, the new army Chief served as the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, a counter-insurgency operation in the northeast.

After his decoration, the Chief of Army staff vowed that the war would continue to intensify against insurgents, many of whom have already been killed.

See more photos from the event below…