By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the special promotion of his aide-de-camp (ADC), Colonel Nurudeen Alowonle Yusuf, to the rank of brigadier-general.
The approval was conveyed in a letter from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the Chief of Army Staff, dated December 12, 2025, and signed by the NSA, Malam Nuhu Ribadu.
In the letter, Ribadu stated that Yusuf would retain his position as ADC to the President despite his elevation in rank, with effect from the same date.
“I wish to convey Mr President’s approval of Special Presidential Promotion of Colonel Nurudeen Alowonle Yusuf to the rank of Brigadier General and retention as ADC C-in-C with effect from 12 December 2025 for your necessary action,” the letter read.
The development has reportedly generated unease within the Nigerian Army, with several officers said to be expressing dissatisfaction over what they describe as preferential treatment.
According to TheCable, sources within the military hierarchy view the special presidential promotion as a departure from established promotion procedures in the Nigerian Army.
Under existing regulations, an officer is required to meet strict criteria before being promoted from colonel to brigadier-general. These include successful completion of a war college or senior staff course, as well as a strategic course at the National Defence College or its equivalent.
In addition, a colonel is typically expected to spend between four and five years in the rank before becoming eligible for promotion to the general officer cadre.
Yusuf’s promotion has attracted attention largely due to the rapid pace of his rise through the ranks.
In December 2024, he was promoted to the rank of colonel and was formally decorated by President Tinubu in January 2025 during a ceremony at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Earlier, in April 2023, Yusuf—then a lieutenant colonel—was appointed as Tinubu’s ADC, barely one month before the president’s inauguration on May 29, 2023.
Beyond his military career, Yusuf was crowned the monarch of Ilemona land in Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State in July 2024.
However, he is expected to fully assume his traditional duties only after retiring from active service in the Nigerian Army.
As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency has not responded to enquiries on the controversy generated by Yusuf’s promotion to the rank of brigadier-general.