The Nigerian Army has announced the promotion of Abia-born Brigadier General Chima A. Ekeator and 27 other senior officers to the rank of Major General, as well as 77 Colonels elevated to Brigadier General, marking a major reorganisation of its top leadership.
The promotions were confirmed on Friday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Appolonia Anele, through an official statement issued on the Army’s X handle.
Ekeator, who hails from Abaki Ndoki, Ukwa-East Local Government Area (LGA), a senior officer of the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, was listed among the newly promoted Major Generals. Others elevated include Brig Gen O. Adegbe of the Defence Intelligence Agency; Brig Gen S.M. Uba, Director of Defence Information; Brig Gen R.E. Hedima, Acting Chief of Military Intelligence (Army); and Brig Gen R.T. Utsaha, Deputy Director of Defence Operations.
Additional officers promoted to Major General include Brig Gen A.M. Umar, Commandant of the Warrant Officer Academy; Brig Gen S. Sulaiman, Deputy Military Secretary (Army); Brig Gen I.O. Bassey, Director, Nigerian Army Operations Centre; and Brig Gen S.Y. Yakasai, Acting Director of Procurement in the Office of the Chief of Army Staff.
Brig Gen Z.A. Saidu was promoted posthumously in honour of his service.
Promotion to the rank of Brigadier General also covered Colonels across the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, Army Headquarters departments, Special Forces units, and military medical facilities.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, congratulated the newly promoted officers and urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them by demonstrating exceptional leadership, innovation, and unwavering loyalty to the Constitution. He emphasised the need for renewed commitment to tackling evolving security challenges and safeguarding the country’s territorial integrity.
The promotions are expected to bolster the Army’s operational leadership and enhance ongoing efforts to strengthen national security.
