Professional head of the Nigerian Armed Forces
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS ) is the head of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the minister of defence and the president of Nigeria . The chief of the defence staff is based at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja and works alongside the Permanent Secretary of Defence.
It is occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the President of Nigeria . The position was established for the first time under Nigeria's 1979 constitution.
The current chief of defence staff is General Christopher Musa , who succeeded General Lucky Irabor in June 2023.[ 1]
Role
The Chief of Defence Staff gives operational directives to the Nigerian Armed Forces through the service chiefs and reports to the commander-in-Chief with administrative supervision of the Honourable Minister of Defence. It is the duty and responsibility of the CDS to formulate and execute policies, programmes towards the highest attainment of National Security and operational competence of the Armed Forces namely; the Army, Navy and Air Force.
The CDS is assisted by the other Service Chiefs:
The chiefs have been:[ 2]
No.
Portrait
Chief of Defence Staff
Took office
Left office
Time in office
Defence branch
Ref.
1 Akinrinade, Ipoola Alani Lieutenant General Ipoola Alani Akinrinade (born 1939) 15 April 1980 2 October 1981 Nigerian Army – 2 Jalo, Gibson Lieutenant GeneralGibson Jalo (1939–2000) 2 October 1981 31 December 1983 Nigerian Army – 3 Bali, Domkat General Domkat Bali (1940–2020) Defence Minister 1 January 1984 August 1990 Nigerian Army – 4 Abacha, Sani GeneralSani Abacha (1943–1998) later military ruler August 1990 17 November 1993 Nigerian Army – 5 Diya, Oladipo Lieutenant GeneralOladipo Diya (1944–2023) Chief of General Staff 17 November 1993 21 December 1997 Nigerian Army – 6 Abubakar, Abdulsalami Major General Abdulsalami Abubakar (born 1942) later military ruler 21 December 1997 9 June 1998 Nigerian Army – 7 Daggash, Al-Amin Air Marshal Al-Amin Daggash (born 1942) 9 June 1998 29 May 1999 Nigerian Air Force – 8 Ogohi, Ibrahim Admiral Ibrahim Ogohi (1948–2024) 29 May 1999 27 June 2003 Nigerian Navy – 9 Ogomudia, Alexander GeneralAlexander Ogomudia (born 1949) 27 June 2003 1 June 2006 Nigerian Army – 10 Agwai, Martin Luther GeneralMartin Luther Agwai (born 1948) Later Commander of the UNAMID 1 June 2006 25 May 2007 Nigerian Army – 11 Azazi, Owoye Andrew GeneralOwoye Andrew Azazi (1952–2012) 25 May 2007 20 August 2008 Nigerian Army – 12 Dike, Paul Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike (born 1950) 20 August 2008 8 September 2010 Nigerian Air Force – 13 Petinrin, Oluseyi Air Chief MarshalOluseyi Petinrin (born 1955) 8 September 2010 4 October 2012 Nigerian Air Force – 14 Ibrahim, Ola AdmiralOla Ibrahim (born 1955) 4 October 2012 20 January 2014 Nigerian Navy – 15 Badeh, Alex Air Chief MarshalAlex Sabundu Badeh (1957–2018) 20 January 2014 21 July 2015 Nigerian Air Force – 16 Olonisakin, Abayomi GeneralAbayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (born 1961) 21 July 2015 29 January 2021 Nigerian Army – 17 Irabor, Lucky GeneralLucky Irabor (born 1965) 29 January 2021 23 June 2023 Nigerian Army – 18 Musa, Christopher GeneralChristopher Gwabin Musa (born 1967) 23 June 2023 Incumbent Nigerian Army –
References
External links
Chiefs of defence by country
Africa
Americas
Asia
Europe
Oceania
Supranational
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