President Bola Tinubu has approved the promotion of his Aide-de-Camp, Nurudeen Yusuf, to brigadier-general, barely a year after his last promotion, triggering widespread disquiet among Nigerian Army officers.
According to report, the approval, contained in a December 12 letter to Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant-General Wahid Shaibu and signed by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, has raised eyebrows across military ranks.
Yusuf’s rapid rise is drawing criticism because he was promoted to colonel less than 12 months ago, making this his second major promotion within a year, a timeline many serving officers say violates standard military practice.
Several of Yusuf’s colleagues and coursemates have privately expressed frustration over what they view as an unusually fast-tracked career progression.
“This defies logic,” a senior military officer told PREMIUM TIMES anonymously. “How do you promote someone to brigadier-general barely a year after becoming a colonel?”
But a Presidency source defended the decision, saying it was meant to align Yusuf’s rank with other senior security officials at the Presidential Villa.
The source pointed to similar promotions across security agencies this year.
In August, the President’s Chief Personal Security Officer, Usman Shugaba, moved from deputy commissioner to commissioner of police, while the Chief Security Officer in the State Security Services, Adegboyega Fasasi, was elevated to director, positions considered equivalent to brigadier-general.
“These adjustments reflect the strategic importance of roles around the President,” the source explained.
Yusuf was appointed ADC to President Tinubu on May 1, 2023, just weeks before the inauguration. At the time, he held the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
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