There are grumblings among military operatives following the recent promotion of Colonel Nurudeen Yusuf, the Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to the rank of Brigadier-General.
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Some of those who spoke to our correspondent described it as an “unusual decision, especially under a democratic dispensation.”
One of the officers who spoke on condition of anonymity yesterday said while young and middle cadre officers such as Lieutenants, Captains, Majors and Lieutenant Colonels could be promoted for exceptional performance, “promoting someone to the position of Brigadier General through executive fiat is not only abnormal but a terrible precedent.”
President Tinubu had, in a letter dated December 12, 2025, and addressed to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Wahid Shaibu, approved the promotion of Colonel Yusuf to the rank of Brigadier-General.
The letter, which surfaced on different media platforms, was signed by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, in which he conveyed the president’s approval for Col. Yusuf’s elevation.
The letter could not be independently verified as sources in the NSA’s office and the Nigerian Army did not confirm or deny the development.
Yusuf was appointed ADC to Tinubu on May 1, 2023, about four weeks before the president’s inauguration. He was a Lieutenant Colonel at the time but was promoted to the rank of Colonel.
SECOND PROMOTION IN 12 MONTHS
The recent promotion has raised eyebrows within military circles because Yusuf was only decorated as a Colonel in January this year, making the latest advancement his second within a 12-month period.
Another source said, “This is an aberration. In the immediate past government, Brig.-Gen. ML Abubakar (N/10378), a member of 44 Regular Course of NDA, started with then President Muhammadu Buhari as Lt Col.”
“When it was time for his promotion, he was promoted to Colonel along with his course mates. At the end of Buhari’s first term, he was released to attend the statutory course for promotion to Brigadier General. At the end of the course and passing through the normal process, he was posted out of the Villa to an appointment commensurate with his rank and replaced with then Lt Col YM Dodo (N/11624), a member of 50RC.”
HISTORICAL PRECEDENTS
The source added: “Similarly, during the President Olusegun Obasanjo era, Col Giwa Amu was replaced with Lt Col Chris Jemitola for the former to proceed to his Defence College and grow with his course mates.”
“The only time a Brig Gen was ADC was during the time of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, when Col Abide Aprezi was promoted to Brigadier General and was retained for a few months to conclude the transition programme,” he said.
ALLEGATIONS OF FAVOURITISM
Premium Times reported yesterday that several officers, including some of Yusuf’s course mates, reportedly expressed frustration over what they described as an unprecedented fast-tracking of his career, with critics accusing the president of favouritism.
The Premium Times also quoted a Presidency source saying Tinubu approved the elevation to align Yusuf’s rank with those of other senior security officials attached to the Presidential Villa.
According to the source, the Nigeria Police Force in August promoted the president’s Chief Personal Security Officer, Usman Shugaba, from deputy commissioner of police to commissioner of police.
Similarly, the State Security Services (SSS) recently elevated the president’s Chief Security Officer, Adegboyega Fasasi, to the rank of director.
The source explained that the police and SSS ranks are considered equivalent to that of a brigadier-general in the Nigerian Army.
He added that without a corresponding promotion, Yusuf would have remained subordinate in rank to his counterparts within the Villa’s security architecture, a situation he said could undermine esprit de corps among the presidential security team.
INSTITUTIONAL RISK
But another anonymous source countered the claim, saying: “The Nigerian Army is an institution sustained by tradition, memory, and an unwritten moral code that governs advancement, authority, and respect.”
According to him, “Promotion to the rank of Brigadier General has, over decades, been one of the clearest expressions of that code. It signifies that an officer has endured the full weight of professional scrutiny, satisfied exacting standards, and earned the confidence of both peers and subordinates through time, sacrifice, and intellectual preparation. This tradition is not ornamental. It is the backbone of discipline and the quiet assurance that the system is fair.”
“Within this framework, the promotion of an officer who reportedly spent only one year in the rank of Colonel and who did not pass through the Army War College or the National Defence College represents a decision of extraordinary institutional risk. It is not merely a deviation from precedent, but a rupture with tradition. The immediate effect is not visible in public ceremonies but is felt deeply within messes, command offices, and informal professional spaces where officers measure decisions against the values they have lived by for decades.”
EROSION OF MORAL FABRIC
The source added: “For generations, capable officers have been compulsorily retired or passed over at the Colonel level for failing to meet the stringent requirements for elevation to Brigadier General. Many accepted this outcome with dignity because they trusted the integrity of the system. To now elevate an officer who has not met those same benchmarks sends a devastating signal that sacrifice, patience, and professional education are no longer decisive. This is how quiet resentment begins. Not rebellion, but grumbling. Not protest, but erosion. Once officers begin to believe that the rules no longer apply equally, the moral fabric of the institution starts to fray.”
ABNORMAL PROCEDURE
Another source also faulted the procedure of approving the promotion.
He said, “A letter from president conveying his request to the military was passed to the NSA. The NSA passed it directly to Chief of Army Staff, not to the CDS, not to the Minister of Defence. This is abnormal.”
REQUIREMENTS FOR BECOMING BRIGADIER-GENERAL
It was learnt that under long-standing Nigerian Army practice, and in line with global best practice, an officer cannot legitimately move from Colonel to Brigadier General without meeting three key requirements:
- Completion of War College/Senior Staff Course (approximately one year)
- Completion of National Defence College or equivalent strategic course (approximately one year)
- Minimum time-in-rank as Colonel: typically four to five years.
The controversy over the promotion highlights tensions between executive privilege and military institutional traditions, with critics warning that such deviations from established procedures could undermine discipline and morale within the armed forces.
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