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IBB is 84 today! The ‘Maradona’ who became president at 44 (PHOTOS)

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Born August 17, 1941 in Minna, Nigeria, Ibrahim Babangida became Nigeria’s military president at 44 in 1985 after removing Muhammadu Buhari from office.

He rose through the ranks and was known for his courage—he played a major role in suppressing an attempted cøup in 1976 when he walked into a rëbel-held radio station unarmed.

After Murtala Mohammed became the military head of state in 1975, Babangida joined his Supreme Military Council. He played a significant role in the cøup that replaced the civilian government of Shehu Shagari with the military regime led by Muhammad Buhari. However, deep dissatisfaction with Buhari’s restrictive governance led Babangida to oust Buhari in August 1985.

Upon taking over, Babangida reduced the governmental control of the press and released a number of detainees from the former civilian government. However, he faced the same economic problems that Buhari had struggled with and the same domestic dissatisfaction. He came to an agreement with the International Monetary Fund and received new loans from the World Bank, but the resultant devaluation of the naira, the local currency, led to social unrest, which he addressed by dissolving part of the Nigeria Labour Congress and temporarily closing the universities.

Babangida announced early in 1986 that a civilian government would be formed by 1990, later extending the date by two years to allow more time for preparation. He decreed that no politician from the civilian regimes or office-holding military officials could stand as candidates. He allowed no political parties during the transition period and approved only two political parties when campaigning began – the National Republican Convention and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

As a further move to show that he was firmly in control, Babangida dissolved the Armed Forces Ruling Council in favour of smaller bodies and dismissed many of his closest military colleagues. An attempted cøup in April 1990 led by Major Gideon Orkar was quickly contained. Babangida later announced that Nigeria had suspended its membership in the Islamic Conference Organization amid speculation among southern Nigerians that he was trying to make the country Islamic. The long-planned transfer of the federal capital from Lagos to Abuja, a location in central Nigeria, was completed under Babangida in 1991.

The fulfillment of Babangida’s pledge of a return to civilian government seemed imminent when a presidential election was finally held in 1993. Initial results indicated that businessman Moshood Abiola, the SDP candidate, was the apparent winner, but, before the official results were announced, Babangida annulled the election—a decision which proved to be controversial and unpopular. In the wake of the civil unrest that ensued, he handed control of the country over to an interim civilian panel headed by businessman Ernest Shonekan and stepped down from government. In 2025 Babangida expressed his regret over the annulment of the election.

On the regional stage, Babangida was instrumental in changing the orientation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Although it had been strictly an economic body, Babangida succeeded in having ECOWAS use ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) troops to restore stability in Liberia after civil war erupted in that country.

Credit: Babangida’s memoir, A Journey in Service: An Autobiography, was released in 2025.

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Profile: Major General Akomaye Parker Undiandeye, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Intelligence

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On October 24, 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reappointed Major General Emmanuel Akomaye Parker Undiandeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence, reaffirming confidence in his leadership and expertise in strengthening Nigeria’s defence intelligence operations.

Major General Undiandeye first assumed command as the 17th Chief of Defence Intelligence on June 23, 2023, and continues to serve with distinction in the nation’s security architecture.

Born on September 2, 1968, in Bedia, Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State, Southern Nigeria, General Undiandeye hails from the family of Mr. Sylvanus and Mrs. Maria Undiandeye.

He began his military career at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, and later proceeded to the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, United Kingdom, where he completed his cadet training.

Major General Undiandeye has attended several professional military and strategic courses both locally and internationally, including the Nigerian Army College of Logistics, Lagos, and the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, for his Junior and Senior Courses.

His quest for advanced military education took him to the National Defence University (NDU), Washington DC, USA, and the National Defence College (NDC), Abuja, where he earned a Master’s degree from the University of Ibadan.

Major General Undiandeye also attended the Senior Executives National and International Security Programme at the Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Administration, USA, and the International Intelligence Directors Course in Chicksands, United Kingdom.

He holds a B.A. (Hons) in History and a Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies. He is an International Counter Terrorism Fellow (ICTF) of the NDU’s College of International Security Affairs, Washington DC.

Throughout his distinguished career spanning over three decades, Major General Undiandeye has held several command, staff, and instructional appointments, contributing significantly to national and global security.

His notable positions include;

Chief of Staff, Headquarters Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps

Director, Lessons Learnt, Army Headquarters Department of Transformation and Innovation

Director, Foreign Liaison, Defence Intelligence Agency

Director, Psychological Warfare, Defence Headquarters

Deputy Commandant, Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre

Commandant, Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji

Internationally, Major General Undiandeye has served as; Deputy Chief Operations Officer, United

Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL); Deputy Chief of Assessments, UN Headquarters, New York; and as a pioneer seconded officer to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), where he contributed to preventing full-scale conflict between South Sudan and the Republic of Sudan.

His professional excellence has earned him several awards and decorations, including;

Grand Service Star (GSS), Defence Meritorious Star (DMS),

Defence Administration Medal (DAM), Field Command Medal (FCM),

Training Support Medal (TSM), and the

United Nations Headquarters Medal (2013).

Major General Undiandeye is a Fellow of the National Defence College (fdc), Fellow of the National

Defense University, Washington DC (fndu), Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Administration (FCAI),

Fellow of the International Institute of Professional Security (FIIPS), and Fellow of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (FNARC).

His vast experience in intelligence, operations, and strategic leadership equips him with a strong foundation to coordinate the nation’s defence intelligence architecture effectively.

Major General Undiandeye is happily married to Mrs Jane Ekor Undiandeye, and their union is blessed with three children. His hobbies include reading, golf, photography, and nature watching.

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Meet Admiral Idi Abbas, Nigeria’s New Chief of Naval Staff

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On October 24, 2025, the Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Rear Admiral Idi Abbas as the new Chief of Naval Staff, following the retirement of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.

A statement from the Nigerian Navy described Rear Admiral Abbas as a seasoned officer who “brings a distinguished record of service and leadership to the Nigerian Navy.”

Early Life and Education

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas was born on September 20, 1969, and hails from Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State in North-West Nigeria

He began his early education at Gwagwarwa Primary School, Kano, and proceeded to the Air Force Military School, Jos, from 1981 to 1986, before gaining admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1987.

Rear Admiral Abbas was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on September 10, 1993, as a member of NDA 40 Regular Course, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry.

Military Courses and Qualifications

Rear Admiral Abbas is an Above Water Warfare (AWW) specialist who has attended several military courses both in Nigeria and abroad.

His training includes:

Sub-Lieutenant Technical Course at NNS QUORRA (1994)

Junior and Senior Staff Courses at Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji (2001 and 2005)

Officers’ Long Course (OLC XII) at NNS QUORRA, Apapa Lagos (2003)

United Nations Military Observer Course in Tanzania (2009)

National Defence College (NDC), Abuja, Course 23 (2014)

Appointments Held;

Over the years, Rear Admiral Abbas has served in various key positions across the Nigerian Navy.

He started his career onboard several naval ships as a Watch-Keeping Officer, including NNS ARADU, NNS DAMISA, and NNS AYAM.

He later held positions such as:

Naval Assistant to the Deputy Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji (1998)

Staff Officer III, Marine Services, Naval Headquarters (2004)

Gunnery Officer, NNS OHUE (2006)

Instructor, NNS QUORRA (2007)

Commanding Officer, Burma Battalion, NDA (2008)

Base Administrative Officer, NNS PATHFINDER

Naval Contingent Commander, Joint Task Force, Operation SAFE HAVEN (2010–2012)

Maritime Guard Commander, NIMASA (2015)

Commander Task Group, Operation TSARE-TEKU (2017)

Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command (2022)

In July 2023, Rear Admiral Abbas was appointed Chief of Naval Safety and Standards (CNASS) at Naval

Headquarters, and in February 2024, became Chief of Defence Civil-Military Relations (CDCMR) at Defence Headquarters.

Before his elevation as the 25th Chief of Naval Staff, he served as Senior Research Fellow, Nigerian Army Heritage Centre, in January 2025.

Promotions

Rear Admiral Abbas rose through the ranks with dedication and excellence;

Midshipman – 1996

Lieutenant – 2001

Lieutenant Commander – 2006

Commander – 2006

Navy Captain – 2011

Commodore – 2016

Rear Admiral – September 10, 2020

Awards and Honours

His distinguished service has earned him several honours, including;

Passed Staff Course (PSC)

Fellow Defence College (FDC)

Forces Service Star (FSS)

Meritorious Service Star (MSS)

Distinguished Service Star (DSS)

Grand Service Star (GSS)

Defence General Staff Medal (DGSM)

He is also a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) and the International Institute of Professional Security (IIPS).

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All You Need to Know About Nigeria’s New Chief of Defence Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede

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Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede (N/9318) NAM CMH GSS psc mni FCM FCMH TSM COM CCA

1. Family background: General Oluyede was born on 21 June 1968 in Ikere-Ekiti in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

2. Education: He attended Holy Trinity Primary School, Ikere-Ekiti, and proceeded to Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti, for his secondary education. Thereafter, he gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1987 as a member of 39 Regular Course. On completion of his cadet training, he was granted Regular Combatant Commission on 19 December 1992 in the rank of second lieutenant with seniority in the same rank effective 12 September 1987. He is of the Infantry Corps.

3. He became the 29th indigenous Chief of Army Staff, Nigerian Army, first in acting capacity with effect from 30 October 2024 and substantively, in November 2024.

4. Military career: In the course of his meritorious military career, he has attended several courses both at home and abroad where he distinguished himself creditably. Some of these courses include the Young Officers’Course (Infantry) and Regimental Signal Officers’Course as well as Commanding Officers’ Course, all at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji.

He also attended the United Nations Logistics Officers’ Course at the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Centre, Ghana and the United Nations Military Observers’ Course at the now renamed Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre, Jaji, among others.

Similarly, he attended the prestigious Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, for his Junior and Senior Staff Courses, and he is a member of the national institute and a proud alumnus of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), where he did his Senior Executive Course. He also attended the Strategic Leadership Course at the Nigerian Defence Academy.

5. Qualifications: He holds both Bachelor and Master of Arts Degrees in Economics from the Nigerian Defence Academy among others. He has also attended and participated in several workshops, seminars and conferences in the course of his career which contributed in preparing him for the highest appointment in the Nigerian Army.

6. Appointments: General Oluyede has served in several formations, units and training institutions where he held command, staff and instructional appointmentswithin his illustrious years of service. Some of these appointments include Platoon Commander and Company Second in Command in 65 Mechanised Battalion and 177 Guards Battalion respectively. He was Platoon Commander and later Officer Commanding in 2 Amphibious Battalion. For his initial instructional experience, he was Instructor and later Senior Instructor at the Nigerian Defence Academy.

He held the appointment of Staff Officer Grade 1 in Charge of Personnel and Welfare Services as well as Logistics and Operations at different times while serving at Headquarters Joint Task Force (Operation RESTORE HOPE) and Headquarters 82 Division respectively. He also served as Deputy Director Examinations at Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command.

He was Chief of Staff at Headquarters 13 Brigade before attending the Senior Executive Course at NIPSS. He was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff Civil-Military Cooperation at Headquarters 1 Division and later Director at Army Headquarters Department of Army Standard and Evaluation. He was Commandant of Amphibious Training School. He was appointed Commander 27 Task Force Brigade under Operation LAFIYA DOLE in the North East Theatre from where he was made the Acting Commander Sector 2 in the same theatre.

On his promotion to the rank of Major General, he was appointed substantive Commander Sector 2 Operation LAFIYA DOLE. Thereafter, he was posted to Nigerian Army Resource Centre and appointed Senior Research Fellow after which he was moved to Army Headquarters Department of Army Policy and Plans and appointed Director Plans.

After a brief stint at the Army Headquarters, he was appointed the General Officer Commanding 6 Division. He was later posted to the Office of the Chief of Army Staff, Directorate of Inspection and Compliance and appointed the Director.

7. International/local operations: The seasoned Infantry General has also participated in a number of operations both home and abroad. His posting profile traverses considerable deployments and participation in several Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency Operations as well as Internal Security Operations across the country.Indeed, his military exploits began as a young platooncommander in 65 Mechanised Battalion from where he moved with the unit to participate in the historic Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG).

During the ECOMOG operations, he was reported to be full of initiatives and was saddled with the onerous assignment of providing security for the Presidential Lodge, a task he discharged admirably.

He was GOC 6 Division, Officer Commanding in 2 Battalion during the initial militia crisis in Rivers State and also successfully led his company to curb the nefarious activities of the Niger Delta Volunteer Peoples Force,a formidable militant group that threatened the peace and security of Niger Delta region.

8. Awards: He is a recipient of the prestigious Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award in Year 2018,
the Nigerian Army Medal (NAM), Forces Service Star (FSS), Meritorious Service Star (MSS), Distinguished Service Star (DSS) and Grand Service Star (GSS).Others include, Passed Staff Course (psc), Member of the National Institute (mni), Field Command Medal(FCM), Field Command Medal of Honour (FCMH), Training Support Medal (TSM) and General Operations Medal (GOM). He is also a holder of the coveted Corps Medal of Honour (CMH) and prestigious Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award (CCA).

9. Hobbies: Gen. Oluyede enjoys travelling, playing basketball and volleyball. He is married and blessed with children.

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