List of The Chiefs of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army

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What is written on the crest of the Nigerian Army in Arabic means: VICTORY IS FROM GOD ALONE. The transliteration is ‘nasrimindillah’

Did you know that apart from the Nigerian President, only the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) can give direct instructions to any soldier in the country? Do you know the meaning of the Arabic inscription on the Nigerian Army crest? (check above) Do you also know that the Nigerian Army has had 28 chiefs? How many of them do you know? 

Nigeria gained independence from the United Kingdom on the 1st of October, 1960. The following are those who have headed the Nigerian Army, a branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces.  Apart from the Nigerian President, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) is the only other person who can give a direct order to any soldier in the federation. Before January 1966, the head of the army was referred to as the General Officer Commanding (GOC).

1. Major-General Kenneth G. Exham
2. Major-General Norman Foster (1960 – 1962)
3. Major-General John Alexander Mackenzie (1963)
4. Major-General Sir Christopher Welby-Everard (1963 – 1965)
5. Major-General Johnson Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi (February 1965 – January 1966)
6. Lieutenant-Colonel Yakubu Cinwa Gowon (January 1966 – July 1966)
7. Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Akahan (August 1966 – July 1967)
8. Major-General Hassan Usman Katsina (January 1968 – January 1971)
9. Major-General David Ejoor (January 1971 – July 1975)
10. Lieutenant-General Theophilus Yakubu ‘TY’ Danjuma (July 1975 – September 1979)
11. Lieutenant-General Alani Akinrinade (October 1979 – April 1980)
12. Lieutenant-General Jibson Jalo (April 1980 – October 1981)
13. Lieutenant-General Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi (October 1981 – December 1983)
14. Major-General Ibrahim Babangida (January 1984 – August 1985)
15. Lieutenant-General Sani Abacha (August 1985 – September 1990)
16. Lieutenant-General Salihu Ibrahim (September 1990 – August 1993)
17. Lieutenant-General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (September 1993 – November 1993)
18. Major-General Chris Alli (November 1993 – August 1994)
19. Major-General Alwali Jaji Kazir (August 1994 – March 1996)
20. Major-General Ishaya Rizi Bamaiyi (March 1996 – May 1999)
21. Lieutenant-General Samuel Victor Leo Malu (May 1999 – April 2001)
22. Lieutenant-General Alexander Oderuduo Ogomudia (April 2001 – June 2003)
23. Lieutenant-General Martin Luther Agwai (June 2003 – May 2006)
24. Lieutenant-General Owoye Andrew Azazi (June 2006 – May 2007)
25. Lieutenant-General Luka Nyeh Yusuf (June 2007 – August 2008)
26. Lieutenant-General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (August 2008 – September 2010)
27. Lieutenant-General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika (September 2010 – February 2014)
28. Major-General Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah (February 2014- )