28 Brigadier Generals elevated to Major Generals
The Nigerian Army Council has officially approved the promotion of a total of 105 senior officers across two high-ranking tiers. This significant career advancement includes the elevation of 28 Brigadier Generals to the rank of Major Generals, while 77 Colonels have been promoted to the rank of Brigadier Generals.
The announcement was confirmed by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, on Friday. These promotions are central to maintaining the morale, structure, and professional capacity of the Nigerian Army leadership.
Key officers promoted to major general
The list of officers promoted to the two-star rank of Major General includes several critical figures holding high-profile operational and administrative positions. Notable among the newly promoted Major Generals is Brigadier General O. Adegbe of the Defence Intelligence Agency. Also promoted were Brigadier General S.M. Uba, who serves as the Director of Defence Information, and Brigadier General R.E. Hedima, the Acting Chief of Military Intelligence for the Army.
Other key promotions include Brigadier General R.T. Utsaha, the Deputy Director of Defence Operations, and Brigadier General A.M. Umar, the Commandant of the Warrant Officer Academy. The list also featured officers from specialized corps, such as Brigadier General C.A. Ekeator of the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, and Brigadier General I.O. Bassey, Director of the Nigerian Army Operations Centre. Tragically, Brigadier General Z.A. Saidu was promoted posthumously.
Colonels elevated to brigadier general
The largest cohort of promotions was among the Colonels, with 77 officers being elevated to the rank of Brigadier General. These newly promoted Brigadier Generals are drawn from a wide array of commands, training institutions, and critical operational sectors.
Promoted Colonels include Colonel Y. Ibrahim of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Colonel N.N. Gambo serving at the Army Headquarters Department of Civil Military Affairs, and Colonel A. Saidu of the Headquarters Nigerian Army Finance Corps. The list reflects a strategic focus on officers involved in command, logistics, and field operations, such as Colonel K.O. Bukoye, the Commander of 401 Special Forces Brigade, and Colonel M.K. Akpuogwu of Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke.
Chief of army staff charges promoted officers
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, extended his congratulations to the newly promoted senior officers and their families. He issued a strong directive, charging them to intensify their professional drive and validate their well-deserved elevation.
The COAS emphasized that the officers must now demonstrate exemplary leadership and inspire their subordinates through their personal conduct. General Shaibu stressed the need for them to cultivate bold, innovative, and unconventional solutions capable of delivering swift and decisive responses to the nation’s evolving security threats. He concluded by reiterating the absolute necessity of upholding their sacred oath of allegiance to defend the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, stressing that their loyalty to the Constitution must remain unwavering and beyond reproach.
