President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the appointment of Major General Waidi Shaibu as the 25th Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Nigerian Army.
The new Army Chief, an indigene of Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, succeeds Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, who has been elevated to the position of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
Major General Shaibu, a battle-tested commander and strategic thinker, is widely regarded as one of the Nigerian Army’s most accomplished officers. His appointment is seen as part of President Tinubu’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the operational effectiveness, professionalism, and combat readiness of the Nigerian military.
Born on December 18, 1971, Major General Shaibu was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as part of the 41 Regular Course in 1989 and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps on September 17, 1994. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the NDA, Kaduna.
A consummate scholar-warrior, the new Army Chief also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), as well as advanced degrees including a Master’s in Public Administration (University of Calabar), a Master’s in Strategic Studies (University of Ibadan), and a Master’s in Security and Strategic Studies (National Defence University, Washington D.C., USA). He is also an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Throughout his distinguished career, Major General Shaibu has attended several local and international professional courses, including the Young Officers Courses (Armour and Infantry), Company Amphibious Operations, Junior and Senior Staff Courses, Battalion Commanders Course, and the Higher Defence Management Course at the National Defence College, Abuja. He also trained at the Defence Resources Management Course in Kenya and the Counter-Terrorism Fellows Programme at the National Defence University, Washington D.C.
His vast operational and command experience includes serving as:
General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division and Commander, Sector 1, Operation HADIN KAI, Maiduguri;
Brigade Commander, 21 Special Armoured Brigade, Bama;
Chief of Training, Army Headquarters;
Director, Coordination, National Defence College;
Principal Staff Officer (Army), Defence Headquarters; and
Chief Instructor, Nigerian Army Armour School, among others.
He has also served as Military Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of Liberia, and as a Military Observer with the African Mission in Sudan.
Major General Shaibu has participated in several critical operations, including Operations HARMONY, BOYONA, ZAMAN LAFIYA, LAFIYA DOLE, TURA TAKAIBANGO, HADIN KAI, DESERT SANITY, and LAKE SANITY. He also represented Nigeria in the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS).
His service and gallantry have earned him several national and international honours, including the Forces Service Star (FSS), Meritorious Service Star (MSS), Distinguished Service Star (DSS), Command Medal, Field Command Medal, Distinguished Service Order (Liberia), and the prestigious Purple Heart Medal for valour in counter-insurgency operations.
Major General Shaibu is married to Hajia Safiyyah Hassan, and they are blessed with two children.
As he assumes command as the 25th Chief of Army Staff, expectations are high that he will bring renewed vigour, strategic depth, and innovation to the Nigerian Army’s ongoing transformation. His appointment is also seen as a testament to the Federal Government’s commitment to building a disciplined, combat-ready, and people-focused military capable of me
eting contemporary security challenges.
