There were not many military leaders who were Generals in the Army before they became heads of states in Nigeria. Some were Colonels, Brigadier Generals, and only a sparse number were Major- Generals.

Before going any further, it is necessary to be acquainted with senior ranks in the Nigerian army. Starting from the lowest, they are: 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, and General.

During the Military regime in Nigeria, there were a total number of eight heads of state. They include: Aguiyi Ironsi, Yakubu Gowon, Murtala Mohammed, Olusegun Obasanjo, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha and Abubakar Abdusalam.

Listed below are the past Heads of states in Nigeria and their military ranks:

1. Major General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi:

Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi joined the Nigerian regiment in 1842 as a private with the seventh battalion. In 1965, he rose to the rank of a Major General.

He became the military head of state in January 1966 and was killed during a coup in July that same year.

2. Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon:

Yakubu Gowon was commissioned as a second Lieutenant in the Army on the 19th October 1955, his 21st birthday. He became a Lieutenant Colonel in 1966 before he became the head of state. However, by virtue of his political post, he was promoted later to the rank of General.

3. Brigadier General Murtala Mohammed:

Murtala Mohammed was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in October 1971. He was a part of the coup that brought in Yakubu Gowon, and although he wanted to occupy the post at that time, he was a junior.

He became the head of state in 1975, until his assassination in 1976.

4. Major General Olusegun Obasanjo:

Olusegun Obasanjo enlisted in the Nigerian Army in March 1958 due to his family's inability to send him to the university. He served as head of state in Nigeria from 1976 to 1979 before relinquishing power to civilian government.

5. Major General Muhammadu Buhari:

In 1963, at age 20 he was commissioned a second lieutenant and appointed platoon commander of the second infantry battalion. He later became head of state in 1983.

6. Major General Ibrahim Babangida:

During the regime of Muhammadu Buhari, Babangida became a Major General in the army. He later became head of state in 1985 until his resignation in 1993.

7. General Sani Abacha:

Sani Abacha served as military head of state from 1993 until his death in 1998. According to Wikipedia, in 1993, he became the first Nigerian Army officer to attain the rank of a full military General without skipping a single rank.

8. General Abdusalaami Abubakar:

He was initially in the Nigerian Air force before joining the Nigerian Army. He became head of state a day after the death of Sani Abacha in 1998.

Source; https://123.com.ng/heads-of-state-in-nigeria/

When military was military...

Damnnn niggar
Isoright


Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi joined the Nigerian regiment in 1842..

This one shock me

Good

The people who spoiled Nigeria.

Buhari in 3 missionary journeys didn't have a plan or blueprint.

He just wanted to be president.

Buhari got to that height through quota system, no wonder he's a complete disaster.

General Sani Abacha.

That man shaa...

Seen...The rogues that milked this country dry.

All of them are mad

The military era is still far better than this scam called democracy

So dollar don fall

These are the names of those that destroyed Nigeria and they are mostly Northerners.
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See them, Northerners full there. These northerners that we thought are not educated and not oriented are really born to rule. Their ancestors really got Nigeria for them

No 5 has never meant well for Nigeria

No Democracy...No terrorism!!

Our modern politicians are the creator of Terrorists, Armed Bandits, Armed robbers....in fact they caused insecurity!!

Useless military

HOLLY GRAM WTF MAN

Na people way follow spoil we country them list be this

Adenaph:
So dollar don fall

I sure say this post fall am

Old soldiers never die
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Nigeria has worst kind of military in the world.

God will help us

Muhammad Buhari remains a quota General. He was enlisted into the army thru recommendation letter.

Op, your head de touch. How can Aguiyi Ironsi Join the army in 1842. Na from spirit world or sperm cell him enter army? Cmon dat thing na 1942 osiso

That Nzeogwu's coup really affected a lot of things in Nigeria.

Obj and PMB ruled Nigeria Thrice.

Lucky guys

All I see is a compendium of greedy punkks every sane Nigeria wants dead especially a certain dude

The game don start sotayyyy...

Mostly quota system rank iranu

I hope the military will one-day tell itself the truth of how it ruined Nigeria

Any officer from the rank of Lt Colonel upward is not qualified to rule.

Btw, it's not by rank since promotion was mostly influenced on ethical, political and (maybe) religious ground.