Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau
Quick Facts
Biography
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Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (born March 14, 1954) is a retired Nigerian Army Lieutenant General and Nigeria's current Minister of the Interior. Dambazau served as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) between 2008 and 2010, succeeding Lieutenant General Luka Yusuf.
Education & background
Dambazau's secondary education took place at Barewa College, Zaria where he graduated from in 1974. He proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna as a member of the 17 Regular Combatant Course. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army in June 1977. In 1979, Dambazau attended the US Army Military Police School, Fort McClellan.
Dambazau later obtained a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Kent State University in 1982 and a PhD in Criminology from University of Keele in 1989.
Career
Dambazau served as a military police officer, Aide de Camp to the Chief of Army Staff (1979), commanded military police units and served as a Special Investigator (1984-1985). Dambazau was Registrar of the Nigerian Defence Academy from 1993 to 1999. He also served as Chief Instructor, Support Weapon Wing of the Infantry Centre and School from 1999 to 2001 and later as Directing Staff at the National War College from 2004 to 2006. From 2007-2008 he served as General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2nd Division, Ibadan. He was appointed Chief of Army Staff in 2008 by President Umaru Yar Adua. He was appointed Minister of the Interior by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2015.