Rear Admiral Idi Abbas: Chemist, Seaman — Untold Story Of Nigeria’s 25th Chief Of Naval Staff

The newly appointed 25th Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas, is a chemist, a thoroughbred professional Seaman Executive Officer who rose through all the ranks in the Nigeria Navy (NN) before his latest elevation.

Rear Admiral Abbas was born on September 20, 1969, and hails from Nasarawa LGA of Kano State.

A member of 40th Regular Course, Rear Admiral Abbas enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) on September 12, 1987, and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on September 10, 1993, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry.

He began his early education at Gwagwarwa Primary School Kano, and then proceeded to Airforce Military School Jos from 1981 – 1986 before his admission into NDA in 1987.

The newly appointed CNS is an Above Water Warfare (AWW) specialist officer who has attended several military courses at home and abroad, including the Sub-Lieutenant Technical Course at NNS QUORRA in 1994, the Junior and Senior Staff Courses at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji in 2001 and 2005 respectively.

He attended the Officers’ Long Course (OLC XII) from January to December 2003, at NNS QUORRA Apapa Lagos specialising in Above Water Warfare.

Rear Admiral Abbas also attended the United Nations Military Observer Course in Tanzania in 2009 and in 2014 he graduated from the prestigious National Defence College (NDC) Abuja as a member of NDC Course 23.

He has held several appointments in the Nigerian Navy, served onboard various NN ships as a Watch-Keeping Officer.

Some of the ships included NNS ARADU, NNS DAMISA and NNS AYAM.

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas later served as Naval Assistant to the Deputy Commandant of Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji in 1998.

Rear Admiral Abbas between 1999 and 2002 underwent Mandatory Military courses and retuned to NNS DAMISA intermittently as a Watch-Keeping Officer.

He was appointed Staff Officer III, Marine Services at Naval Headquarters (NHQ) in January 2004 and later Gunnery Officer NNS OHUE in 2006.

In 2007, he became an instructor at NNS QUORRA and in 2008, he was appointed Commanding Officer Burma Battalion of NDA.

Rear Admiral Abbas later served as Base Administrative Officer of NNS PATHFINDER and Naval contingent Commander of Joint Task Force Operation SAFE HAVEN in 2010 and 2012, respectively.

He was the Maritime Guard Commander (MGC) of NIMASA in 2015 and Commander Task Group (CTG) of NN Operation Tsare-Teku in 2017.

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas between 2018 and 2022, steadily climbed the ladder of appointments in Central Naval Command first as the Command Admin Officer (CAO) then as the Chief Staff Officer (CSO) culminating in his appointment as Flag Officer Commanding (FOC CNC) of Central Naval Command and within this period, he also served as Commander NNS VICTORY, Calabar in 2020.

In July 2023, he was appointed Chief of Naval Safety and Standard (CNASS) at Naval HQ and in February 2024, he became the Chief of Defence Civil Military Relations (CDCMR) and Defence Headquarters (DHQ).

Rear Admiral Abbas was in January 2025 deployed to the Nigerian Army Heritage Centre as a Senior Research Fellow, the appointment he held before his elevation to the post of 25th Chief of Naval Staff, Nigerian Navy, this Friday, October 24, 2025.

The decorated officer has earned many prestigious awards, including: Passed Staff Course (psc), Fellow Defence College (fdc), Forces Service Star (fss), Meritorious Service Star (MSS),
Distinguished Service Star (DSS), Grand Service Star (GSS), and Defence General Staff Medal (DGSM).

He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) and International Institute of Professional Security (IIPS).

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas is a practising Muslim who is happily married to Mrs Aisha Abbas, and the marriage is blessed with two boys.

Rear Admiral Idi Abbas enjoys playing hockey and driving as his hobbies.