Biography/Profile/History Of Nigeria’s Chief Of Army Staff “General Tukur Yusuf Buratai”

 

Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai became the 20th Chief of Army Staff on 17 July 2015. He is an accomplished infantry senior officer who was commissioned in 1983 and has had multiple command, administrative and instructional appointments over his 34 years illustrious career.

He gained admission into the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna as member of the 29 Regular Combatant Course on 3rd January 1981 and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 17th December 1983 into the Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army.

He served in 26 Amphibious Battalion Elele, Port Harcourt, Military Observer at the United Nations Verification Mission II in Angola; later 26 Guards Battalion, Lagos; Lagos Garrison Command Camp. Lt Gen Buratai also served as administrative officer at the State House, Abuja; 82 Motorized Battalion; 81 Battalion, Bakassi Peninsular; Army Headquarters Garrison, Abuja before he became a Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji; earning the prestigious “Pass Staff College Dagger” (psc(+) appellation.

Subsequently, he served at AHQ Dept of Army Policy and Plans, Abuja; Assistant Chief of Staff Administrative Matters, HQ Infantry Centre Jaji. Additionally, he was again at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College as Director Dept of Land Warfare from where he was appointed Commander 2 Brigade, Port Harcourt, doubling as Commander, Sector 2 JTF Operation PULO SHIELD. Upon promotion to the rank of Major General, he was appointed Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji; thereafter he was appointed Director of Procurement DHQ before being appointed Force Commander of the newly reconstituted Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin Republic an appointment he held till he became Chief of Army Staff.

His operational deployments include Military Observer at the United Nations Verification Mission II in Angola, Op HARMONY IV in the Bakassi Peninsular, OP MESA, Op PULO SHIELD, Op SAFE CONDUCT, MNJTF, Op ZAMAN LAFIYA and Op LAFIYA DOLE.

His qualifications include Nigerian Defence Academy Certification of Education, Bachelor of Arts in History, Masters of Arts Degree in History and Master of Philosophy Degree in Security Studies.

A highly decorated senior officer, Lt Gen Buratai’s Honours and Awards include; Nigerian Army Medal, Forces Service Star, Meritorious Service Star, Distinguished Service Star and the Grand Service Star. Others include, Pass Staff Course Dagger (psc(+)), National Defence College (Bangladesh), Field Command Medal, Training Support Medal and th  e United Nations Medal for Angolan Verification Medal II. He is a Member of Historical Society of Nigeria.

Lt Gen Buratai loves farming, squash racket and jogging.

HISTORIC STATEMENT AT THE CAPTURE OF GAMBORU  AND HOISTING OF THE NIGERIAN FLAG

 

“We are here today to observe this significant and symbolic ceremony of hoisting the Nigerian national flag. If you could remember, this town of Gamboru was occupied by the Boko Haram terrorists for almost one ago. The Chadian troops came to help recapture it but could not hold the town, so they later withdrew and the Boko Haram returned again. In line with my vision which is to have a professionally responsive Nigerian Army that is abreast of its constitutional roles, one key underlying phrase in my vision is constitutional role, today, under my command we are here to discharge and redeem our territorial integrity as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

Today we are hoisting our flag and we will never allow any bunch of criminals in the name of Boko Haram to come and take an inch of our territory again. I will like to commend officers and soldiers of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, especially the officers and men of 7 Division Strike Group, who have proved to be resilient, dedicated and highly patriotic. Nigerians are proud of you, Nigerian Army is proud of you and indeed, Mr President is very proud of you. We have to maintain the momentum and from now on you maintain an aggressive posture to constant patrols along this route and all other routes into this area.”

Lt Gen TY Buratai, 9 September 2015.