Buratai: From Army Chief to Strategic Voice, Why the General Remains Relevant

Years after leaving the highest professional position in the Nigerian Army, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai (Rtd), CFR, remains a prominent voice in Nigeria’s security, defence, diplomatic, educational and traditional spheres.

Buratai served as Chief of Army Staff from 2015 to 2021 and later as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin. Since leaving military command, he has continued to participate in national and continental conversations on security, defence reform, regional cooperation, technological innovation and emerging threats.

His continuing relevance lies not simply in the office he once occupied, but in how he has translated decades of military experience into education, diplomacy, strategic advocacy and institution-building.

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A Military Career That Shaped His Public Voice

Buratai’s tenure as Chief of Army Staff coincided with one of the most challenging periods of Nigeria’s counter-insurgency campaign, with the military confronting Boko Haram, insurgency and other security threats.

His command also focused on training, equipment, welfare and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening the Nigerian Army.

That experience continues to inform his interventions on terrorism, counter-insurgency, military transformation and national defence.

From Military Command to Strategic Advocacy

Since retirement, Buratai has remained active in national security discussions, speaking on emerging threats and the need for stronger regional security cooperation.

His interventions increasingly reflect a transition from operational command to strategic advocacy, contributing experience and perspective to debates on what Nigeria and Africa must do to confront changing security realities.

Turning Military Experience Into Institutions

One of the strongest dimensions of Buratai’s continuing legacy is his contribution to military education and research.

According to the Nigerian Army University Biu, Buratai conceived the idea of establishing the university in 2016 as a solution hub for technological and operational challenges facing the Nigerian Army through research, innovation and development. The Federal Executive Council approved its establishment in 2018.

The university represents a broader shift from dependence on imported military hardware toward research, knowledge development and indigenous technological solutions.

His legacy in military scholarship has also been institutionalised through the Tukur Buratai Institute for War and Peace, further linking his name with strategic studies, peacebuilding and defence research.

Championing Africa’s Technological Sovereignty

Buratai’s recent contribution at the International Security Conference on Africa (ISCA) in Kigali further demonstrated the evolution of his security thinking.

He argued that African countries must move beyond merely purchasing sophisticated technologies and develop the capacity to understand, adapt, maintain, regulate and eventually produce emerging defence systems.

With artificial intelligence, drones, autonomous systems, cyber capabilities and information warfare rapidly changing the character of conflict, Buratai’s argument places technological sovereignty at the centre of Africa’s future defence strategy.

The central question, therefore, is no longer simply what technology Africa can buy, but what it can design, understand, maintain and ultimately own.

From Soldier to Diplomat

His appointment as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin added another dimension to his public-service career.

Diplomatic service required Buratai to apply his understanding of regional security, negotiation and international relations beyond the battlefield.

The experience was particularly significant in West Africa, where terrorism, trafficking, organised crime and other transnational threats require cooperation among neighbouring countries.

Traditional Institutions Embrace the General

Buratai’s post-military journey has also attracted considerable recognition from traditional institutions across Nigeria.

Among the traditional titles attributed to him are Betara of Biu, Garkuwan Keffi, Tafarkin Gora, Barden Borgu, Kauran Gusau, Nye Oha I of Elele, Osiminyi of Agilaland, Sardaunan Bakoshi, Sarkin Yakin Kalgo, Magayakin Kasar Hausa of Daura, Katukan Gashaka, Aare Akinrogun of Ibadanland, Ochi Oluje of Idomaland, Jagunmolu of Saki Kingdom, Baakore of Akure Kingdom, Sadaukin Jajere, Garkuwan Yusufari and Khituk Gwong of Kafanchan, among others.

While such traditional titles are not formal political offices, their geographic spread—from the North to the South, East and central parts of Nigeria—illustrates the breadth of recognition attached to Buratai’s public identity.

The Betara of Biu title maintains a strong connection with his home area and Biu, where the Nigerian Army University is located, while Garkuwan Keffi reflects recognition from Nasarawa State.

Military Honours and National Recognition

His military honours include the Forces Service Star (FSS), Meritorious Service Star (MSS), Distinguished Service Star (DSS), Grand Service Star (GSS) and Pass Staff Course Dagger (psc(+)), alongside other operational and service medals.

His recognitions also include the Field Command Medal, Training Support Medal and United Nations Medal for Angolan Verification Mission II.

These honours form part of the institutional record of a military career spanning decades of service.

A Legacy Still Evolving

Buratai’s relevance is not without debate. Like other senior public officials who served during periods of intense national crisis, his record remains subject to both commendation and criticism.

But years after leaving the Army’s highest command, he continues to participate in conversations about Nigeria’s security and Africa’s defence future.

His post-retirement journey now encompasses security advocacy, military education, strategic studies, diplomacy, regional cooperation, traditional leadership and technological development.

The Nigerian Army University Biu and the Tukur Buratai Institute for War and Peace provide institutional dimensions to that legacy, while his diplomatic service and traditional recognitions demonstrate the broader reach of his public life.

Why Buratai Still Matters

For his supporters, Buratai represents the experience of a commander who led during one of Nigeria’s most difficult security periods and subsequently transformed that experience into advocacy, education and diplomacy

For his critics, his record remains open to debate and historical assessment.

Yet one point remains significant: Buratai has remained active in Nigeria’s national conversation long after leaving the Army’s top command.

His journey illustrates how military leadership can evolve into other forms of public service, from the battlefield to the classroom, from military command to diplomacy, and from national security to traditional institutions.

The General may have left the battlefield, but his voice in Nigeria’s security and defence conversation has not gone silent.

By Femi Oyewale