Sadique Abubakar

Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar CFR psc (+) DFS GSS fwc fdc(+) MSc
Official portrait of the 20th Chief of the Air Staff (Nigerian Air Force)
Chief of the Air Staff
In office 21 July 2015 – 29 January 2021
Preceded by	Air Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu
Succeeded by	Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao
Personal details
Born	(1960-04-08) 8 April 1960 Azare, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now in Bauchi State, Nigeria)
Spouse(s)	Hafsat Sadique Abubakar and Sadiya Umar Farouq
Military service
Allegiance	Nigeria
Branch/service	Nigerian Air Force
Years of service	1979–2021
Rank	Air Marshal

Sadique Baba Abubakar CFR psc (+) DFS GSS fwc fdc(+) MSc (born 8 April 1960) is a retired air marshal in the Nigerian Air Force and former Chief of the Air Staff of Nigeria.

In 2023, he contested for governor of Bauchi State in the 2023 Bauchi State gubernatorial election, under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, losing to the incumbent governor Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Background and education

Sadique Baba Abubakar was born on 8 April 1960, in Azare, Bauchi State. He had his primary education at St Paul's Primary School Bauchi from 1967 to 1973 and for his secondary education, he attended Government Secondary School, Bauchi. Abubakar joined the Nigerian Air Force as a member of Cadet Military Training Course (CMTC 5) in November 1979.

Abubakar has a Diploma in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree (second class upper division) in political science. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Studies from University of Ibadan. Abubakar has a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) Helicopters with Instrument Rating and has flown a total of seven aircraft types: Bulldog, Piper Warrior, Enstrom, Bell 206, BO-105, Mi-35P and Mi- 17.

Career

Abubakar's previous appointments include Chief of Standards and Evaluation, NAF Headquarters, Chief of Defence Communications and Air Officer Commanding, NAF Training Command. He served as Chief of Administration, NAF Headquarters prior to his appointment as Chief of Air Staff.

Controversy

Stolen billions allocated for purchase of arms

Nigeria's National Security Adviser (NSA) Babagana Monguno has revealed that the funds running into billions of naira meant for procurement of arms and ammunition under the past service Chiefs were unaccounted. No money, no arms. Mr Monguno a retired major general, revealed that neither the money nor the arms were on ground upon resumption of the new service chiefs.

Vote buying

The All Progressive Congress youth vanguard, the anti-graft agency in a letter to its chairman, Ibrahim Bawa, according to the group Sadique and his wife are trying to procure the 2023 governorship election in the state with proceeds of corruption. "It is instructive to the state that in the buildup to the APC gubernatorial primaries in the state, it is on record that Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique spent millions of dollars to secure the ticket of the APC with the help of some party stalwart in the state and Abuja. His wife Sadiya Umar Farouq uses Survival Funds to induce delegates to choose her husband in the governorship primaries. Collected the name and account details of delegates in the name of survival funds which supposed to be for the less privileged instead of delegates.

Human rights violations

Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, charged with crimes related to alleged extrajudicial killings and violations of human rights.Sadique Baba Abubakar has been implicated in the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands, according to the African center for human rights, which to have conducted through investigation and accumulated enough evidence. During Abubakar's tenure, soldiers killed Nigerians without cause and in violation of the law. At least seven recorded instances of NAF hitting the wrong targetrecorded instances of NAF hitting the wrong target between 2014 and late 2020 exist including the 2017 bombardment of Rann Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camp in Borno state. The incident claimed the lives of at least 160 victims, many of whom were children. In Borno in 2020 a fighter killing 179 Nigerians and hundreds more have been hurt. in South West and South east especially among those thought to be indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) members. These "accidental" bombings also claimed the lives of ground forces. Sadique has been charged with misbehavior, sleaze and corruption. He is suspected of giving some robbers 20 millions in 2021 in exchange for a 12.7 calibre anti-craft gun. The African centre of human rights also declared that it will seek the ICC to reopen its investigation into allegations of corruption, human right violations, and extrajudicial killings against the former CAS after compiling 500-page documents.

Training

• Directing Staff, Junior Division Armed Forces Command and Staff College.

• Staff, Senior Division Armed Forces Command and Staff College.

• Directing Staff, National Defence College.

• External Examiner at the National Defence College.

• Chairman, Participant’s Project Defence

Awards and decorations

In October 2022, a Nigerian national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.

• Best Cadet in Flying at Primary Flying Training Wing in 1981.
• Best All Round Cadet at Primary Flying Training Wing in 1981.
• Tactical Air Command Best Officer of the Year in 1997.
• Chief of the Air Staff’s Letter of Commendation for good leadership and prudent management of resources by Air Marshal OO Petinrin in 2009.
• Chief of the Air Staff’s Letter of Commendation for good leadership and prudent management of resources by Air Marshal MD Umar in 2011.
• Chief of the Air Staff’s Special Award from Air Marshal AS Badeh in 2013.
• Distinguished Flying Star (DFS).
• General Service Star (GSS).
• Passed Staff Course ‘Dagger’ psc(+).
• Distinguished Fellow of the National Defence College fdc(+).
• Distinguished Alumni of National Defence College.
• Distinguished Alumnus Ibadan Strategic Studies.
• Fellow Society for Peace Studies and Practice (Uni Ibadan).