President Bola Tinubu has approved the promotion of his Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Nurudeen Yusuf, to the rank of brigadier-general, sparking controversy within the Nigerian Army. The approval was conveyed in a letter dated 12 December 2025 from the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Wahid Shaibu, according to a report from Premium Times.
The promotion has drawn criticism because Mr Yusuf was decorated as a colonel in January 2025, making the new rank his second promotion within one year. Several officers, including some of his coursemates, reportedly expressed frustration, accusing the President of favouritism. “This beggars belief and defies all logic,” an aggrieved senior officer told Premium Times. “Someone who was just promoted to colonel this year?”
While neither the Presidency nor the Nigerian Army has issued an official explanation, a Presidency source said the promotion was meant to align Mr Yusuf’s rank with other senior security officials at the Presidential Villa. The source cited recent promotions of the President’s Chief Personal Security Officer and Chief Security Officer, noting that their ranks are equivalent to that of a brigadier-general in the Army.