Major General Waidi Shaibu Biography
Major General Waidi Shaibu was born on July 13, 1967, in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. He is a senior Nigerian Army officer, he has served in the Army Armour Corps, held the post of Director of Training at Army Headquarters, commanded the 7 Division, and led Operation HADIN KAI before his appointment as Chief of Army Staff. Major General Waidi Shaibu is 58 years old as of 2025. Major General Waidi Shaibu state of origin is Kogi State.
Over the years he moved through operational and staff appointments, gaining experience that allowed him to take on larger commands in the field. His career path shows a steady rise from junior officer roles to senior leadership positions where he coordinated complex counter-insurgency campaigns.
Those who have worked with him often describe Shaibu as methodical and focused on both men and machines. When he took command roles, he emphasised soldier welfare and operational readiness. He earned a reputation for integrating training, logistics and community engagement into military plans. That combination helped him lead units in dangerous environments and cope with the many challenges of the northeast theatre, where insurgent groups and local instability demanded both force and careful engagement with civilians.
Major General Waidi Shaibu Career
Major General Waidi Shaibu’s career spans several important roles in the Nigerian Army. Early in his service he trained and served with the Armour Corps, and later he became Director of Training at Army Headquarters. That staff role put him in charge of designing and supervising training programmes across formations, sharpening the skills of thousands of soldiers. His experience as Director of Training gave him a broad view of army needs and allowed him to shape doctrinal and tactical training at a national level.
In January 2022 he was appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 7 Division, which is headquartered at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, Borno State. The 7 Division is one of the main formations tasked with confronting Boko Haram and affiliated militants in Nigeria’s northeast. As GOC, Shaibu commanded units that conducted sustained operations across difficult terrain while also coordinating with other security agencies. He handed over the 7 Division command on April 21, 2023, as part of normal rotations in senior leadership.
On January 30, 2024, Shaibu was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) — the joint military campaign focused on counter-insurgency in the northeast. In that role he oversaw multi-service operations that combined air, land and intelligence assets to degrade insurgent capacity and protect civilians. Observers noted that during his roughly 14-month tenure he combined kinetic operations with efforts to rebuild infrastructure and involve communities in local security solutions. Official handover ceremonies and Nigerian Army posts confirm his leadership at the Theatre Command and his eventual handover in April 2025 to a successor.
During his time as Theatre Commander, military communications credited his command with several operational gains. Reports associated with his tenure cite the neutralisation of many insurgent fighters, the recovery of weapons and ammunition, and the rescue of civilians from areas previously held by militants. His command also emphasised training, inter-agency cooperation and steady engagement with community leaders, including traditional rulers, to strengthen trust and information flow between civilians and security forces. These actions were part of a broader push to stabilise the northeast and to create space for humanitarian and development work.
Shaibu also served in academic and professional roles inside military institutions. He was Deputy Commandant and Director of Studies at the National Defence College in Abuja, where senior officers from across services study strategy, leadership and national security. That role shows the trust the Army placed in his ability to teach, mentor and shape the next generation of Nigerian military leaders. Across each appointment, he balanced field experience with formal doctrine and training — a mix that suited the complex demands of modern counter-insurgency.
Major General Waidi Shaibu Appointment
In a major reshuffle of the Nigerian military hierarchy, President Bola Tinubu made several high-level appointments aimed at renewing the leadership of the armed forces and improving coordination among the Army, Navy and Air Force. As part of this shake-up, Major General Waidi Shaibu was named the new Chief of Army Staff. The change took immediate effect and formed part of a wider set of appointments that included a new Chief of Defence Staff and new service chiefs for the navy and air force. Government statements framed the moves as a response to rising security demands and as an effort to place experienced officers into the roles needed to lead a fresh security strategy.
The government’s announcement asked the newly appointed service chiefs to deepen professionalism, maintain vigilance, and strengthen collegial work across the services. In Shaibu’s case, his recent operational leadership in the northeast and his experience directing training and study at senior military colleges were highlighted as credentials that suited the Army chief’s role. In a period where Nigeria faces multiple security threats, the appointment signals a renewed focus on joint operations, intelligence sharing and on-the-ground coordination. Observers expect Shaibu to draw heavily on lessons learned in Operation HADIN KAI as he shapes Army priorities at a national level.
The appointment also came amid heightened public and political attention to national security. In the months before the changes, the government faced pressure to reduce attacks by terrorists, bandits and other violent groups. By placing officers with recent frontline experience into top leadership positions, the presidency signalled that it wanted leaders who both understand ground realities and can coordinate responses across the military and security agencies. For Major General Waidi Shaibu, the new office presents a national challenge: transform battlefield success into a wider, sustainable security strategy that protects communities and allows economic and social recovery.
Conclusion
Major General Waidi Shaibu’s rise from Army Armour Corps officer to Theatre Commander and then to Chief of Army Staff shows a career built on training, field command and institutional leadership. His record in the northeast — combining offensive operations, weapons recovery, civilian rescues and local engagement — underlines a balanced approach to counter-insurgency that blends force with community cooperation. Now, as Chief of Army Staff, he faces one of the most demanding jobs in Nigeria: to lead a large force under intense public expectation and to help shape a strategy that reduces violence, protects civilians and restores normal life to affected regions.
FAQs
What is Operation HADIN KAI and what did Shaibu do there?
Operation HADIN KAI is the joint military campaign against Boko Haram and related insurgent groups in Northeast Nigeria. As Theatre Commander, Shaibu led multi-service operations, oversaw rescues of civilians, the recovery of weapons and ammunition, and engaged in community and inter-agency activities to stabilise the region.
When did Waidi Shaibu command 7 Division?
Shaibu became General Officer Commanding 7 Division on January 21, 2022, and he handed over command on April 21, 2023, as part of routine rotations and subsequent redeployments.
What notable results are linked to his leadership?
Reports during his tenure credit his command with neutralising hundreds of terrorists, recovering large stocks of weapons and ammunition, and rescuing thousands of civilians from insurgent areas. His leadership also included infrastructure repairs and partnerships with other security agencies. Official Army communications and regional reports document these achievements.
What are the expectations for Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff?
As Chief of Army Staff, Shaibu is expected to strengthen operational coordination, improve training and logistics, deepen inter-agency cooperation, and convert tactical gains into lasting security for communities. His frontline experience gives him credibility, but the role will demand strategic decisions that affect the whole nation’s security posture.
Fred Justin is a journalist and writer who focuses on local food and cooking. For nine years he has reported on neighborhood restaurants, farmers’ markets, recipes, and food trends, helping readers find great places to eat and understand how food is made. He holds a BSc and an MSc in Food Science and Biotechnology, which gives him scientific expertise in ingredients, food safety, and production that strengthens his writing.
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