The controversial plan to promote President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Lieutenant Colonel Nurudeen Yusuf, to the rank of Brigadier-General has been abruptly stopped. This decision came after significant public criticism and forceful intervention from senior retired military officers who raised alarms about the move bypassing established protocols.
Promotion Plan Sparks Internal and Public Fury
According to sources familiar with the matter, a decoration ceremony scheduled for Monday, December 15, 2025, was shelved at the last minute. The promotion, described as a "special presidential promotion," would have elevated Yusuf from Colonel to Brigadier-General in less than a year. He was only decorated as a Colonel in January 2025 after a promotion the previous December.
The proposal triggered immediate concern because it sought to sidestep two critical requirements in the Nigerian Army's promotion guidelines. Standard procedure mandates that an officer must serve for a minimum of four years as a Colonel and must have attended the National Defence College (NDC) before being considered for promotion to Brigadier-General. Lieutenant Colonel Yusuf had met neither condition.
Approval for this unusual promotion was reportedly communicated via a letter from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to the Chief of Army Staff. The leaked letter, dated December 12, 2025, also stated that Yusuf would retain his position as the President's ADC despite the elevation—a situation without precedent, as no Nigerian president has ever had an ADC of the Brigadier-General rank.
Retired Generals Rally to Defend Military Hierarchy
The plan caused considerable unease within military circles, prompting swift action from respected former service chiefs. Reports indicate that two former Chiefs of Army Staff personally advised President Tinubu against the promotion, highlighting its potential to undermine military hierarchy, discipline, and morale.
The concern was so palpable that the Minister of Defence, Chris Musa (a retired General), and the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, cut short an official visit to Lagos State to return to Abuja ahead of the planned ceremony. Their intervention, alongside that of other retired generals, ultimately convinced the President to suspend the promotion.
A presidential source later confirmed to journalists that the elevation "would not happen anytime soon." This episode is not the first controversy surrounding Lieutenant Colonel Yusuf's rapid ascent. Military sources have previously accused him of wielding undue influence over promotions and postings due to his proximity to the President.
Broader Concerns Over Military Promotion Process
This incident has cast a spotlight on wider concerns about integrity and procedure within the armed forces' promotion system. Military experts warned that the planned promotion would set a dangerous precedent, eroding standards and encouraging favoritism.
In a related development, a military source revealed that President Tinubu was recently presented with a memo seeking to promote officers who were due for compulsory retirement after repeatedly failing promotion examinations. Although the memo was withdrawn after its implications were explained, the source noted the affected officers were allowed to remain in service citing an "emergency situation."
Lieutenant Colonel Nurudeen Yusuf was appointed as President Tinubu's ADC in April 2023 while still a Lieutenant Colonel. In a unique dual role, he was also crowned the traditional ruler (Elemona) of Ilemona land in Kwara State in July 2024, a title he is expected to fully assume upon retirement from military service.
