Tinubu’s ADC Elevated to Brigadier-General in Second Promotion This Year, Reportedly Causing Army Unrest

President Bola Tinubu has approved the promotion of his Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Nurudeen Yusuf, to the rank of Brigadier-General. This marks his second promotion within a single year and has reportedly sparked significant discontent within the Nigerian Army.

The directive was communicated on December 12, 2025, via a letter from National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Wahid Shaibu. The move has drawn criticism from senior officers, who view the rapid advancement as unusual and indicative of favoritism, especially since Yusuf was only promoted to the rank of Colonel in January of this year.

“This b*ggars belief and defies all logic,” a senior officer told PREMIUM TIMES. “Someone who was just promoted to colonel this year?”

Rationale Linked to Security Team Hierarchy
A Presidency source provided context for the promotion, explaining it was intended to align ranks within the President’s security detail. The source noted that the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service (SSS) had recently promoted the President’s Chief Personal Security Officer and Chief Security Officer to ranks considered equivalent to a Brigadier-General. Without a corresponding promotion, Yusuf would have been subordinate to his counterparts, potentially disrupting the chain of command and cohesion within the Presidential security team.

Despite this internal rationale, neither the Presidency nor the Nigerian Army has issued an official public statement to address the concerns raised by serving officers. Nurudeen Yusuf was appointed as President Tinubu’s ADC on May 1, 2023, while he held the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.