This is a list of full generals in the Nigerian Army. The rank of general (or full general to distinguish it from the lower general officer ranks) is the highest rank currently achievable by serving officers in the Nigerian Army. It is usually held by only the Chief of Defence Staff. It ranks above lieutenant-general and below field marshal which is only held as an honorary rank by the incumbent president of Nigeria in his capacity as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Since 1960, only thirteen officers have attained this rank.[citation needed] Among them, five attained this rank while they were head of state, one officer Sani Abacha attained this rank before becoming head of state. Eight of them served as Chief of Defence Staff, two heads of state (Sani Abacha and Abdulsalami Abubakar) also served as Chiefs of Defence Staff.[citation needed]
| No | Promoted | Name | Born | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1970 | Yakubu Gowon | 1934 | |
| 2 | 1976 | Murtala Muhammed | 1938 | 1976 |
| 3 | 1979 | Olusegun Obasanjo | 1937 | |
| 4 | 1987 | Ibrahim Babangida | 1941 | |
| 5 | 1990 | Domkat Yah Bali | 1940 | 2020 |
| 6 | 1990 | Sani Abacha | 1943 | 1998 |
| 7 | 1998 | Abdulsalami Abubakar | 1942 | |
| 8 | 7 June 2003 | Alexander Ogomudia | 1949 | |
| 9 | 30 May 2006 | Martin Luther Agwai | 1948 | |
| 10 | 2007 | Owoye Andrew Azazi | 1952 | 2012 |
| 11 | August 2015 | Abayomi Olonisakin | 1961 | |
| 12 | 5 March 2021[1] | Lucky Irabor | 1965 | |
| 13 | 31 July 2023 | Christopher Musa | 1967 |
References edit
- ^ "Irabor becomes four-star general as Buhari promotes service chiefs". TheCable. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.