10 things you probably didn’t know about late Chief of Army Staff Ibrahim Attahiru

10 things you probably didn’t know about late Chief of Army Staff Ibrahim Attahiru

Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, Nigeria’s Chief of Army staff reportedly died in a fatal aircrash on Friday while on official duty to Kaduna state.

Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about the late military chief who was born on 10 August 1966.

1. He was the 21st Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army and died on the 21st of May, 2021

2. He was sworn in by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 26, 2021 and spent a total of 115 days in office before his death.

3. Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru was born in Doka, Kaduna North Local Government Area, Kaduna State and died when his aircraft went down close to the Airport in Birni Gwari Local Government Area of the state.

4. A graduate of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji and Nigerian Army School of Infantry, he was commissioned into the rank of Second Lieutenant in December 1986 as an Infantry Officer.

5. He had a Masters degree in Strategic Management and Policy Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy, Masters of Science in Human Resources Management and Development form Salford University in the United Kingdom and Graduate Diploma in international Studies from the University of Nairobi, Kenya.

6. Attahiru had the unique privilege of having commanded with distinction ALL through the chain of command in the Nigerian Army including as Commanding Officer 146 Battalion Nigerian Army (Operation HARMONY IV) in the Bakassi Peninsula, Commander 13 Brigade Nigerian Army (Operation PULO SHIELD), General Officer Commanding 82 Division Nigerian Army.

7. He was one time Theatre Commander Operation LAFIYA DOLE (the Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency Outfit in North Eastern Nigeria) and it is on record that he brought relative stability to the region with the surrender od several Boko Haram combatants.

8. He was a one-time Director, Army Public Relations and Spokesperson of the Nigerian Army and also worked with the US Defence Logistics Agency on enhancing the operational readiness of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

9. He was an Instructor at the Depot Nigerian Army, Nigerian Defence Academy and the Nigerian Army School of Infantry and later a Directing Staff and Chief Instructor at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji]] – Kaduna.

10. He was a highly decorated officer with UNAMSIL Medal, ECOMOG Medal, Forces Service Star, Meritorious Service Star, Distinguish Service Star, Grand Service Star, Corp Medal of Honour, Command medal, Field Command Medal and Field Command Medal of Honour.