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Checkout List Of Nigeria’s Chief Of Army Staff From 1966 Till Date
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) is the highest-ranking military officer of the Nigerian Army. The position is often occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the President of Nigeria.
The office is currently vacant following the death of COAS Attahiru Ibrahim.
The Chief of Army Staff reports to the Chief of Defence Staff, who also reports to the Defence Minister. The Statutory duty of the Officer is to formulate and execute policies towards the highest attainment of National Security and operational competence of the force.
The Chief of Army Staff is seen as a president that presides, issues command to the army under his watch.
From 1956, Nigeria has had 25 chiefs of army staff (COAS). Below is a chronological list of officers that has held the position of General Officer Commanding (GOC) or Chief of Army Staff (COAS)
| No. | Picture | Chief of Army Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 |
Lieutenant colonel Yakubu Gowon FSS (born 1934) Later military ruler |
January 1966 | July 1966 | 6 months | – |
| 2 |
 |
Lieutenant colonel Joseph Akahan OFR FSS (1937–1968) |
May 1967 | May 1968 † | 1 year | – |
| 3 |
|
Major general Hassan Katsina RCDS, PSC (1933–1995) |
May 1968 | January 1971 | 2 years, 8 months | – |
| 4 |
|
Major general David Ejoor (1932–2019) |
January 1971 | July 1975 | 4 years, 6 months | – |
| 5 |
 |
Lieutenant general Theophilus Danjuma (born 1938) |
July 1975 | October 1979 | 4 years, 3 months | – |
| 6 |
|
Lieutenant general Ipoola Alani Akinrinade CFR FSS (born 1939) Later Chief of Defence Staff |
October 1979 | April 1980 | 6 months | – |
| 7 |
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Lieutenant general Gibson Jalo CFR FSS, JSS (1939–2000) Later Chief of Defence Staff |
April 1980 | October 1981 | 1 year, 6 months | – |
| 8 |
|
Lieutenant general Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi CFR FSS (born 1940) |
October 1981 | October 1983 | 2 years | – |
| 9 |
.jpg) |
Major general Ibrahim Babangida (born 1941) Later military ruler |
January 1984 | August 1985 | 1 year, 7 months | – |
| 10 |
|
Lieutenant general Sani Abacha GCON , DSS, mni (1943–1998) Later military ruler |
August 1985 | August 1990 | 5 years | – |
| 11 |
|
Lieutenant general Salihu Ibrahim FSS , FHWC (1925–2018) |
August 1990 | September 1993 | 3 years, 1 month | – |
| 12 |
|
Lieutenant general Aliyu Mohammed Gusau DSS, rcds (born 1943) |
September 1993 | November 1993 | 2 months | – |
| 13 |
|
Major general Chris Alli CRG, DSS, ndc, psc(+) (born 1944) |
November 1993 | August 1994 | 9 months | – |
| 14 |
|
Major general Alwali Kazir DSS, Usawc, psc(+) (born 1947) as Chief of Army |
August 1994 | March 1996 | 1 year, 7 months | – |
| 15 |
|
Lieutenant general Ishaya Bamaiyi DSS, Usawc, psc(+) (born 1949) |
March 1996 | May 1999 | 3 years, 2 months | – |
| 16 |
|
Lieutenant general Victor Malu DSS, mni, fwc, psc (1947–2017) |
May 1999 | April 2001 | 1 year, 11 months | – |
| 17 |
|
Lieutenant general Alexander Ogomudia (born 1949) Later Chief of Defence Staff |
April 2001 | June 2003 | 2 years, 2 months | – |
| 18 |
_Martin_L._Agwai_-_Panel_Discussion_-_African_Land_Forces_Summit_-_May_2010.jpg) |
Lieutenant general Martin Luther Agwai (born 1948) Later Commander of the UNAMID |
June 2003 | June 2006 | 3 years | – |
| 19 |
 |
Lieutenant general Owoye Andrew Azazi (1952–2012) Later Chief of Defence Staff |
1 June 2006 | May 2007 | 11 months | – |
| 20 |
|
Lieutenant general Luka Yusuf CFR, GSS, GPP, DSO, psc(+), fwc, Msc (1952–2009) |
June 2007 | August 2008 | 1 year, 3 months | – |
| 21 |
|
Lieutenant general Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau CFR, GSS, psc, ndc, fwc(+) (born 1954) |
August 2008 | September 2010 | 2 years, 1 month | – |
| 22 |
|
Lieutenant general Azubuike Ihejirika CFR, GSS, psc(+), fwc, fniqs (born 1956) |
September 2010 | January 2014 | 3 years, 4 months | – |
| 23 |
|
Lieutenant general Kenneth Minimah GSS, psc(+), fwc (born 1959) |
January 2014 | July 2015 | 1 year, 6 months | – |
| 24 |
.jpg) |
Lieutenant general Tukur Yusuf Buratai NAM, GSS, psc(+), ndc (BD) (born 1960) |
July 2015 | 26 January 2021 | 5 years, 6 months | – |
| 25 |
.jpg) |
Lieutenant general Attahiru Ibrahim (1966–2021) |
26 January 2021 | 21 May 2021 † | 3 months |