Army Grumbles as Tinubu Approves Rapid Promotion of ADC Nurudeen Yusuf
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that president Bola Tinubu has approved the promotion of his Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Nurudeen Yusuf, to the rank of brigadier-general, a decision that sparks murmuring and discontent within the Nigerian Army over what critics describe as an unusually rapid rise through the ranks.
OTN News further reports as gathered that the approval is conveyed in a letter dated December 12, 2025, addressed to the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Wahid Shaibu, and signed by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
The letter formally communicates the President’s authorisation for Mr Yusuf’s elevation.
OTN News observes from the information gathered that the latest promotion drew attention within military circles because Mr Yusuf is only decorated as a colonel in January 2025, making the brigadier-general rank his second promotion within a 12-month period. Several officers, including some of his coursemates, reportedly express frustration, describing the development as unprecedented and alleging favouritism.
“This beggars belief and defies all logic,” an aggrieved senior officer tells PREMIUM TIMES. “Someone who was just promoted to colonel this year?”
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Presidency nor the Nigerian Army issues an official public statement explaining the rationale behind the accelerated promotion.
However, a source within the Presidency, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation to comment publicly, explained that the President approved the promotion to align Mr 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 promotes the President’s Chief Personal Security Officer, Usman Shugaba, from deputy commissioner of police to commissioner of police. In a similar move, the State Security Services (SSS) recently elevates the President’s Chief Security Officer, Adegboyega Fasasi, to the rank of director.
The source noted that the police and SSS ranks of commissioner and director are regarded as equivalent to the rank of brigadier-general in the Nigerian Army.
He explained that without a corresponding promotion, Mr Yusuf would remain subordinate in rank to his counterparts within the Villa’s security structure, a situation that could undermine esprit de corps and operational harmony among members of the presidential security team.
OTN News recalls that Yusuf is appointed ADC to President Tinubu on May 1, 2023, about four weeks before the President’s inauguration. At the time of his appointment, he holds the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
Despite the explanation offered by the Presidency source, disquiet reportedly persists within the Army, with critics arguing that the move raises broader questions about merit, seniority, and adherence to established promotion procedures in the military.
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