Air Marshal Al-Amin Musa Daggash (Retired), CFR;
(Former Chief of Defence Staff, Nigerian Armed Forces)

Air Marshal Al-Amin Musa Daggash (Retired), CFR, is a distinguished military officer and former Chief of Defence Staff of the Nigerian Armed Forces. He was born on October 1, 1943, in Kirenowa, Marte Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria.

A consummate professional with a solid academic and technical foundation, Air Marshal Daggash holds a Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering from Faberg Air Base, Germany. He furthered his education with a Diploma in Educational Development from the International Officers School, Alabama, and a Diploma in Defence and Strategic Studies from the Air War College (AWC), Air University, Alabama. In recognition of his contributions to national security and military leadership, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate Degree in Military Science by the Nigerian Defence Academy in 2019.

Commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Second Lieutenant on September 27, 1967, Air Marshal Daggash had a long and illustrious career spanning over three decades. He held numerous command and staff positions, including Commander of the Flying Training Group in Kano; Director of Works, Director of Engineering, and Director of Supply at the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters; Air Officer Commanding of the Training Command; and Air Officer Logistics at HQ NAF. He also served as both Deputy Commandant and later Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy before his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff.

He was promoted to the rank of Air Commodore in December 1986 and to Air Vice Marshal in December 1991. From 1990 to 1994, he served as Air Officer Commanding Training Command and subsequently as Chief of Air Force Logistics and Communications at NAF Headquarters. In 1998, he was appointed Chief of Defence Staff by then Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, and was promoted to the rank of Air Marshal on June 10, 1998.

Remarkably, Air Marshal Daggash rose through the ranks solely on merit, never holding a political appointment despite serving during a period in which the military governed Nigeria for 28 of his 36 years in service. He retired from active service on May 29, 1999.

In recognition of his exemplary leadership and professional excellence, he was inducted into the prestigious International Honor Roll of the Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, on June 1, 2004.

Air Marshal Al-Amin Musa Daggash remains one of Nigeria’s most respected and accomplished military officers, celebrated for his integrity, discipline, and unwavering commitment to national service.