Nigeria’s president fast-tracks aide-de-camp to general, bypassing standard military rules, sparking military backlash.

President Bola Tinubu has approved the rapid promotion of his aide-de-camp, Colonel Nurudeen Yusuf, to brigadier-general, effective December 12, 2025, less than a year after Yusuf was promoted to colonel. The move, which bypassed standard military requirements like completing senior war college courses, has sparked criticism within the Nigerian Army over favoritism and deviations from established promotion protocols. The promotion aligns Yusuf’s rank with other senior security officials at the Presidential Villa, according to a source close to the presidency, but the army and presidency have not issued an official statement. Concerns have been raised about the precedent set by elevating an ADC to general rank, a practice not seen under previous administrations, and the impact on military morale and merit-based advancement.