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Nigerian Amanda Azubuike appointed General in US Army
By Funmilayo Olusanya
At a military installation at Fort Knox, Kentucky, USA, Amanda Azubuike, a woman of Nigerian heritage, was promoted from Lieutenant Colonel to Brigadier General of the United States Army.
Gen. Azubuike
Azubuike, who was born in London, England, to Nigerian parents, enlisted in the US Army in 1994. After passing the Army Aviation Officer Basic Course, he was given the rank of aviator.
General James Rainey, commander of the US Army Futures Command, said of Azubuike’s leadership abilities that she “makes everyone around her better.”
She spent 11 years in the aviation industry before continuing her career in the Army as a public affairs and relations officer.
Azubuike currently serves as a Deputy Commanding Officer at the US Army Cadet Command and previously served as a Chief of Staff/Senior Military Advisor at the Office of the Secretary of Defense. She was also Chief of Public Affairs at the United States Southern Command, Fort Lauderdale Area, and the Director of Public Affairs, Joint Force HQs-National Capital Region/Military District of Washington.
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She also served in public relations for the Washington Redskins, an NFL team, and as a communications consultant for the National Football League Players Association.
In addition to her military training, Gen. Azubuike holds a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College and a Master of Professional Studies in Public Relations/Corporate Communications from Georgetown University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mass communication/media studies from the University of Central Arkansas.
See her full profile below:
Colonel Amanda I. Azubuike received her commission from the University of Central Arkansas in December 1993 and earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications.
Colonel Azubuike graduated from flight school in 1995 as a UH-1 pilot.
She began her career with the 924th Aviation Support Battalion at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, where she served as a platoon leader.
She went on to serve as the Flight Operations Officer, followed by Platoon Leader for the Aviation Company, Multinational Force, and Observers in the Sinai, Egypt. After the Military Intelligence Captain’s Career Course and Fixed Wing Multi-Engine Qualification Course, she served with the 3rd Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation) in South Korea as an Operations Officer and RC-12 pilot.
After her assignment in South Korea, Colonel Azubuike was assigned to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, as the Commander of Alpha Company, Victory Brigade. After attending the Public Affairs Officer Qualification Course, Colonel Azubuike was assigned to the Coalition Forces Land Component Command in Kuwait from July 2005 through June 2006, where she served as a Public Affairs Operations Officer. She was then assigned to the U.S. Army Central Command’s Headquarters at Fort McPherson, Georgia.
After attending, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Colonel Azubuike then served as the Chief of Media Relations and Public Affairs Operations Officer with the U.S. Army Central Command’s Headquarters at Fort McPherson, Georgia. Although she was assigned to Fort McPherson, she spent much of the time in Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Colonel Azubuike attended Georgetown University earning a Master of Professional Studies in Public Relations and Corporate Communications. She was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs at the Pentagon in the Community Outreach Division.
Following her attendance at the U.S. Army War College, she was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia, as the Public Affairs Director, and deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan, with the Division Headquarters.
After her promotion to Colonel, she was assigned to the Joint Force Headquarters / Military District of Washington at Fort McNair in Washington D.C. as the Public Affairs Director, where she led the joint public affairs team that supported the 58th Presidential Inauguration.
Next, Colonel Azubuike served as the Chief of Public Affairs for the U.S. Southern Command Headquarters in Doral, Florida. Later, she served as the Chief of Staff and Senior Military Assistant to the Principal Deputy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon.
Her operational deployments in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, and Enduring Freedom include Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, and Bagram, Afghanistan. She has earned the Army Aviator Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Parachutist Badge.
Her awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with
3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Army Achievement Medal with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster.
A building has collapsed in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, just hours after the Development Control Department of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) sealed the structure and directed occupants to vacate the premises.
The building reportedly collapsed at about 8pm on Monday, September 7, 2026, prompting an emergency response as personnel of the Federal Fire Service and other responders moved to the scene.
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Three ambulances were stationed at the location as rescue teams worked to determine whether anyone was trapped beneath the rubble and to evacuate any possible casualties.
The FCTA’s Development Control Department had earlier sealed the building and ordered occupants to leave the premises before the collapse.
The cause of the collapse remained unclear as of the time of the report, while rescue operations were still ongoing.
The incident has renewed concerns over the safety of ageing and distressed buildings in Abuja, particularly structures that have previously been flagged by regulatory authorities.
Further details on possible casualties and the circumstances surrounding the collapse are expected as emergency operations continue.
President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has declared that Nigerians from all walks of life will have the opportunity to own stakes in the Dangote Petroleum Refinery through its Initial Public Offering.
Dangote made the statement on Monday during the official signing ceremony for the refinery’s IPO in Lagos.
“What we are trying to achieve is to make sure our drivers, cooks, servants, and everybody have the opportunity of having stakes in the refinery,” Dangote said.
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The IPO will see the refinery offer 4.1 billion ordinary shares at ₦525 per share, giving investors an opportunity to become shareholders in one of Africa’s biggest industrial projects.
The official application list is scheduled to open on September 14, 2026, and will close on October 9, 2026, after 25 days.
Investors can subscribe to a minimum of 100 shares valued at ₦52,500, with subsequent subscriptions available in multiples of 50 shares.
The landmark signing ceremony was attended by prominent figures in Nigeria’s business and financial sectors, including Zenith Bank Chairman, Jim Ovia, and Heirs Holdings Chairman, Tony Elumelu.
Located in the Lekki Free Zone, Lagos, the Dangote Refinery has a refining capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, making it Africa’s largest single-train refinery.
The refinery, which was commissioned in May 2023 after nearly a decade of construction, attracted an investment of approximately $20 billion.
According to details of the IPO, proceeds from the public offer will be used to support a major expansion of the facility, with the company targeting an increase in processing capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day.
If achieved, the expansion would make the facility the largest operating oil refinery in the world, surpassing India’s Jamnagar refinery complex.
At ₦525 per share, the refinery has an estimated market valuation of about $47 billion, while a fully subscribed IPO could increase the total market capitalisation of the Nigerian Exchange by an estimated 30 to 40 per cent.
The company has also proposed paying dividends in US dollars, with foreign exchange earnings from refined petroleum products and petrochemical exports expected to support the dividend plan.
The public offering follows a $2.5 billion private placement completed in July as Dangote Industries seeks to raise additional capital for the refinery’s expansion.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has deployed Toma Enya as the new Commandant of the Osun State Command.
Enya’s deployment was approved by the NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof. Ahmed Audi, according to a statement issued by the Corps’ spokesperson, Kehinde Adeleke, on Monday in Osogbo.
The new commandant, who was transferred from the Ekiti State Command, officially assumed office on Monday, taking over from Commandant Igbalawole Sotiyo.
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Following the handing-over ceremony at the command headquarters, Sotiyo led Enya to the Government Office in Abere, where they were received on behalf of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, by the Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi.
Speaking during the visit, Enya pledged to strengthen intelligence gathering and information sharing under his leadership.
He also assured that the command would remain committed to ensuring adequate protection of lives and property across the state.
Adewusi welcomed the new commandant to Osun and assured him of the state government’s support to enable the NSCDC to effectively discharge its statutory mandates and contribute to the security and development of the state.
Enya becomes the 18th NSCDC commandant in Osun State.
He hails from Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, as well as a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
Enya has served the Corps in various operational, investigative and administrative capacities, gaining extensive experience in security operations and management.
The NSCDC said he has also attended several professional courses within and outside Nigeria, further enhancing his expertise in security architecture, leadership and administration.
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