The Nigerian Army has officially unveiled the official portrait of the 25th Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, and instructed media houses and the public to immediately cease using older, incorrect photographs.
The Army issued a statement on Tuesday, November 11, directing all platforms to update their archives, specifically warning against the continued publication of images depicting the COAS with the rank of Major General or using an initial portrait that was previously issued. This aims to eliminate confusion regarding the rank and position of the COAS.
You are kindly requested to update your media archives accordingly and refrain from using previous photographs, particularly those depicting the Chief of Army Staff with the rank of Major General, in subsequent publications – The Nigerian Army
Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu was recently appointed as the 25th Chief of Army Staff by President Bola Tinubu in a major military reshuffle that occurred in late October 2025. Following his elevation to the new role, he was subsequently promoted from Major General to his current rank of Lieutenant General.
The persistence of outdated images in media publications creates an inconsistency that the military views as undermining the protocol and official recognition of its leadership.
The Nigerian Army is enforcing this measure to ensure that all public-facing materials accurately reflect the COAS’s current status.
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