President Bola Tinubu has reportedly suspended plans to grant an extraordinary promotion to his Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Colonel Nurudeen Yusuf, following interventions from senior retired military officers, including two former Chiefs of Army Staff
Yusuf was reportedly slated to be elevated to the rank of brigadier-general barely a year after his promotion to colonel in December 2024, with the ceremony scheduled quietly for Monday evening. The plan, however, was shelved at the last minute over concerns about its impact on military discipline, seniority, and morale.
Under Nigerian Army procedures, promotion to brigadier-general is highly competitive. Officers are normally required to serve at least four years as colonel, complete senior military education at institutions like the National Defence College or NIPSS Kuru, and pass promotion boards that evaluate service records, command experience, and vacancies. Fast-tracking Yusuf’s promotion was viewed as a departure from these norms.
A leaked letter dated December 12, 2025, from the Office of the National Security Adviser, signed by Nuhu Ribadu, indicated that Yusuf would continue serving as the President’s ADC despite the proposed promotion. Sources also noted that no brigadier-general has previously served as ADC to a sitting Nigerian President, adding to unease within the Army.
In the hours leading up to the planned ceremony, Defence Minister General Christopher Musa (retd.) and Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu reportedly cut short an official trip to Lagos and returned to Abuja. Ultimately, the interventions of two respected former Army Chiefs persuaded the President to suspend the promotion. A presidency source confirmed that the elevation “would not happen anytime soon.”
The development coincided with a closed-door meeting Tinubu held with Nigeria’s Service Chiefs at the Presidential Villa amid mounting internal and regional security concerns, shortly after attending a book presentation at the State House Conference Centre. It was his first formal engagement with the full military high command since General Musa’s appointment as Defence Minister on December 4, a move seen as part of efforts to realign the country’s defence and security strategy.
While the Presidency has not disclosed the meeting agenda, it took place against a backdrop of worsening insecurity, including the ongoing captivity of 115 students abducted from a Catholic boarding school in November. Tinubu had declared a national security emergency on November 26, ordering fresh recruitment into security agencies and redeploying police personnel attached to private individuals to core policing duties.
The Aso Villa discussions also followed Senate approval for the deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin after an attempted coup there, highlighting Nigeria’s growing regional security obligations. Reports indicate that topics covered included internal security operations, intelligence coordination, border security, counterterrorism, and Nigeria’s role in regional stability.
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, Colonel Nurudeen Yusuf, following interventions from senior retired military officers, including two former Chiefs of Army Staff){kind=link}
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