The controversial plan to decorate Nurudeen Yusuf, aide-de-camp to President Bola Tinubu, as a one‑star general was shelved at the last minute on Monday evening following the intervention of two former Chiefs of Army Staff.
Yusuf, who was only decorated as a colonel in January 2025, was billed to be elevated to the rank of brigadier‑general through what was described as a special presidential promotion.
Under established military procedures, an officer is required to serve for at least four years as a colonel and attend the National Defence College before being considered for promotion to brigadier‑general.
However, approval to bypass this process was reportedly conveyed in a letter from the Office of the National Security Adviser to the Chief of Army Staff.
The leaked letter, dated December 12, 2025, was signed by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
In the letter, Ribadu stated that Yusuf would be retained as the President’s ADC despite the proposed promotion.
No brigadier‑general has ever served as aide‑de‑camp to a sitting Nigerian President, a development that reportedly caused unease within the military hierarchy.
Ahead of the planned decoration ceremony on Monday, the Minister of Defence, Chris Musa, a retired general, and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, were said to have cut short their visit to Lagos State and returned to Abuja.
However, TheCable learnt that two highly respected former army chiefs eventually persuaded President Tinubu to shelve the plan, citing the dangers it could pose to the military establishment.
A presidential source told TheCable that the promotion would not happen “anytime soon.”
Military experts had reportedly raised concerns that the proposed promotion could set a “bad precedent” within the armed forces.
Yusuf has also previously been accused of wielding undue influence in the promotion and retention of military officers due to his closeness to the President.
“He got the president to sign a memo for the promotion of officers who were due for retirement after failing three times as specified by their rules,” a military source told TheCable.
The source added, “When the president was told of the implications regarding the rule, he withdrew the memo but nonetheless asked that the officers be allowed to remain in service, citing the emergency he had just declared. They are still in service, I understand.”
In January 2025, President Tinubu promoted Yusuf to the rank of colonel. The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Yusuf was appointed as Tinubu’s ADC in April 2023, when he was still a lieutenant colonel, about a month before Tinubu’s inauguration as President.
In July 2024, Yusuf was crowned the monarch of Ilemona land in Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State, although he is expected to formally assume the traditional role upon retirement from the military.