The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Waidi Shaibu.

MAJOR GENERAL WAIDI SHAIBU (N/9895) DSS DSO(LR) FTAM psc fdc (+) CM FCM FCMH MSS MA MNIM THEATRE COMMANDER JTF (NE) OP HADIN KAI

1. Major General Waidi Shaibu was born on 18 December 1971 in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State. He gained admission into the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 41 Regular Course in 1989. He was commissioned on 17 September 1994 as a Second Lieutenant into the Nigerian Army Armour Corps.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

2. The senior officer holds the underlisted academic qualifications to his credit:

a. Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna – 1993.
b. Holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.
c. Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Calabar.
d. Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan.
e. Master’s Degree in Security and Strategic Studies from the National Defence University, Washington, D.C., United States of America.
f. Alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Programme in Leadership for the 21st century: Chaos, Conflict and Courage.
g. Advanced Executive Certificate in Applied Leadership and Strategy from the National Productivity Senior Executive Programme.
h. PHD in Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan (In view).

MILITARY COURSES

3. Our revered General has also attended several military courses both home and abroad.

a. Young Officer Course Armour -Nigerian Army Armour School Bauchi (1995).
b. Young Officers Course Infantry- Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji (1996).
c. Company Amphibious Operation Course-Amphibious Training School Calabar (1997).
d. Platoon Commanders Course Armour- Nigerian Army Armour School Bauchi (1998).
e. Communication Instructors Course Armour- Nigerian Army Armour School Bauchi (1998).
f. Junior Staff Course- Ghana (2001).
g. Company Commander’s Course Armour- Nigerian Army Armour School Bauchi (2003).
h. Senior Staff Course- Jaji (2005/2006).
i. Exclusive Economic Zone Course 2007.
j. Battalion Commanders Course Armour- Nigerian Army Armour School Bauchi (2011).
k. Defense Resources Management Course- Kenya (2015).
l. Higher Defence Management Course- National Defense College, Abuja (2015/2016).
m. Counter Terrorism Fellows Programme at the College of International Security Affairs- Washington DC USA (2017).

OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE

3. Our erudite Guest Lecturer has participated in several operations both home and abroad.

a. Operation HARMONY.
b. Operation BOYONA.
c. Operation ZAMAN LAFIYA.
d. Operation LAFIYA DOLE.
e. Operation TURA TAKAIBANGO.
f. Operation HADIN KAI.
g. Operation DESERT and LAKE SANITY.
h. African Mission in Sudan.
i. United Nation Mission in Liberia.
j. He was also part of Nigeria’s Foreign Training Assistance Mission to Liberia.

APPOINTMENTS HELD

4. In the course of his illustrious career, our esteemed resource person has held several command, instructionaland staff appointments.

a. Platoon Commander 245 Recce Battalion.
b. ADC to General Officer Commanding 3 Divisions.
c. GSO II Ops at Army Headquarters.
d. Principal Staff Officer/Military Assistant to Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of Liberia.
e. Company Commander 242 Recce Battalion.
f. Military Observer/Logistics Officer African Mission in Sudan.
g. Chief of Staff, 23 Brigade Headquarters, Yola.
h. Training Officer Armed Forces Simulation CentreJaji.
i. Commanding Officer 243 Battalion Monguno.
j. Chief Instructor, Nigeria Army Armour School.
k. Principal Staff Officer (Army) Defence Headquarters.
l. Assistant Director Peace Keeping Operations Defence Headquarters.
m. Director Coordination and Directing Staff National Defence Collage, Abuja.
n. Commander 21 Special Armoured Brigade Bama.
o. Ag Chief of Training for Exercises and Training AHQ Abuja
p. General Officer Commanding 7 Divisions and Commander Sector 1 Operation HADIN KAI.
q. Director of Defence Admin DSA.
r. Theatre Commander OPHK
s. CURRENT APPOINTMENT- Director of Armour Research Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre WEF 22 Apr 25 till date.

HONOURS AND AWARDS

5. Our highly decorated General has numerous honours and awards to his credit.

a. Distinguished Service Star (DSS),
b. Distinguished Service Order (DSO LR),
c. Foreign Training Assistance Medal (FTAM),
d. Pass Staff College (psc),
e. Fellow National Defence College Dagger (+).
f. Command Medal (CM).
g. Purple Heart Medal for Counter Insurgency Operation in North East.

h. Field Command Medal (FCM).
i. Field Command Medal of Honour (FCMH).
j. General Operation Medal (GOM)
k. Defence Operations Medal (DOM).
The Theatre Commander is a proud member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM).

HOBBIES

6. His hobbies include:

a. Reading,
b. Early morning walk
c. Deep contemplations.

7. The General is happily married and the union is blessed with children.

The new Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas

He was appointed as the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) of the Central Naval Command (CNC) of the Nigerian Navy. In February 2022, when he took over the command in Yenagoa, he emphasised the fight against illegal oil bunkering and theft in the Niger Delta.

In earlier organisational changes and postings, he had been Chief Staff Officer at the Central Naval Command; later he was assigned to other roles such as Director of Operations at Naval Headquarters.
—
Key Focus & Contributions

Upon taking command of CNC, Admiral Abbas declared that the Navy would “not back down on the fight against illegal oil theft, illegal bunkering and maritime crimes in the Niger Delta region.”

He acknowledged the familiarity with the terrain and existing efforts, saying that his command would build on what his predecessor laid down.

His appointments reflect the Nigerian Navy’s emphasis on maritime security, especially in vulnerable waters and areas prone to economic-crime such as oil theft – a traditional security challenge for Nigeria’s coastal integrity.
—
Significance

In a traditional sense, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas embodies several virtues of military leadership:

A deep respect for continuity — he pledged to build on past efforts rather than discard them.

A commitment to duty of place — taking over a command in a challenging region (the Niger Delta) with known security vulnerabilities.

An acknowledgment that maritime security in Nigeria is not just war-ship deployments, but managing illicit crime, resource protection, and regional stability.

The  new Chief of Air Staff: Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke

AIR VICE MARSHAL ANEKE’S CITATION(NAF/2182)

1. Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke was born on 20 February 1972 in Makurdi, Benue State to the family of Air Warrant Officer (rtd) Sylvester and Mrs Ngozi Aneke. He hails from Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State in South-Eastern Nigeria. Air Vice Marshal Aneke attended Army Children School, New Cantonment A, NDA, Kaduna, from 1976 to 1982, where he obtained his first school leaving certificate. He proceeded to Government College, Kaduna from 1982 to 1987, where he obtained his West African School Certificate.

2. Air Vice Marshal Aneke started his military career on 10 September 1988 when he was enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of 40th Regular Combatant Course. Consequently, he was Commissioned as a Pilot Officer into the Nigerian Air Force on 10 September 1993. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (Bsc) in Physics, Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the University of Calabar, Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. He also has a Masters in Political Economy and Developmental Studies from the University of Abuja and a Phd (in view). He has a professional Certificate in Aviation Safety Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona, Florida.

3. Air Vice Marshal Aneke has attended various military courses during his career in the Nigerian Air Force. These include a professional certificate in Aeromechanical Engineering from the officers Engineering School Technical Training Group (TTG) (now Air Force Institute of Technology), Ab-initio Flying Training from 301 Flying Training School and Basic Flying Training from 301 Flying Training School now 401 Flying Training School. He attended the Prestigious Armed Forces Command and Staff College where he obtained Certificates for the Junior and Senior Staff Courses respectively. Air Vice Marshal Aneke attended the United States Air Force Air University Montgomery Alabama where he obtained his Masters in Strategic Studies in the US Air War College.

4. Air Vice Marshal Aneke has held numerous appointments in the Nigerian Air Force, some of these appointments include Admin officer at Aircraft Overhaul Centre Aircraft Maintenance Depot Ikeja, Admin officer and Group Logistics Officer at 301 Flying Training School NAF Base Kaduna, Commanding Officer Base Services Wing Air Maritime Group Benin and Staff Officer United Nations Peace Keeping Mission in Congo (MONUC) Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Other appointments held include Fleet Training Officer, Wing Chief Admin and Wing Chief Operations all at the Presidential Air Fleet Abuja, Group Operations Officer and later Commander 307 Executive Air Lift Group Abuja, Deputy Director Evaluation (Air) Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Command Evaluation Officer Air Training Command Kaduna, Command Operations Officer and Evaluation Officer Tactical Air Training Command Makurdi. The very senior officer has also held key appointments as Chief of Staff Air Training Command Kaduna, Command Operations Officer Tactical Air Command Makurdi, Director of Safety Headquarters Nigerian Air Force Abuja, Deputy Director Operations Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Director of Policy Headquarters Nigerian Air Force and Deputy Commandant Nigerian Defence Academy (Africa’s Foremost Military University) Kaduna. He is currently the Air Officer Commanding, Nigerian Air Force Mobility Command domiciled in Yenagoa where he is doing well in adding value to the strategic intelligence of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in check mating all forms of criminality within his Commands’ Area of Responsibility.

5. Air Vice Marshal Aneke has participated in various operations within and outside Nigeria. As a Squadron Leader, he participated in Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance operations in Operation Restore Hope in the Niger Delta Region from 2004 – 2005, he also participated extensively in operations in Congo where he served as an Air Operations Officer in Kinshasa and Chief of Air Operations in the Kindu Region between 2005 and 2006. The very senior officer also brought his operational and field experience to bear as Wing Chief Operations in the Presidential Air Fleet Abuja. As Commander Executive Airlift Group, he maintained an operational oversight over the use of crew and equipment of the Beechcraft King Air 350 aircraft which was the Nigerian Air Force frontline intelligence platform for all counter insurgency operations. As Chief of Staff in Air Training Command, Kaduna he was responsible for the coordination of air operations between the Command and other military components of Operation Thunderstrike, in North-Western Nigeria.

6. Air Vice Marshal Aneke is type-rated and has flown the following aircraft: Air Beetle 18, Air Beetle 18 extended version, Dornier 228, Citation 500, Falcon 900, Gulfstream V, Gulf Stream 550 and the Hawker 4000. He has an Advanced Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) with a total 4,359 flying hours. His medals and awards include GSS, DSS, GSM, FCM, Psc, USAFWC, MSc, MIAD, MPEDS. Air Vice Marshal Aneke is a pilot of repute, and his professional and personal conduct are commendable. He is calm by disposition and by all standards a good team player. He is also upright, dependable, and of the right maturity and carriage to handle strategic responsibility. Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke is recommended to be appointed as the Chief of Air Staff.

7. Air Vice Marshal Aneke is happily married to Mrs Ngozi Enderline Aneke, and the marriage is blessed with three Boys, Chukwuebuka Kelvin Aneke, Ifeanyi Chukwu Brian Aneke and Uchechukwu Jason Aneke. He enjoys flying, music and movies and is grateful to the Almighty God for the journey and progress so far.