Maj Gen Adikwu Elias Attu was born on 30 Jan 69 at Lagos Island of Lagos State but hails from Benue State. Elias was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy on 21 Sep 86 as a member of Regular Course 38 and was commissioned Second Lieutenant into the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps on 21 Sep 91. Attu holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (Honours) in Chemistry from the NDA and a Masters Degree in Strategic Studies from University of Ibadan and a PhD in view from Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
Maj Gen Attu was privileged to have served in various capacities in the Nigerian Army. He was Staff Officer Grade 1 Personnel Service, Department of Administration Army Headquarters from 2006-2007
and Commanding Officer 195 Battalion from 2007-2008. Attu was a Senior Instructor and Chief Instructor (Peacekeeping Operations) at the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peace Keeping Centre from 2009-2012 and Assistant Director Transformation at the Defence Headquarters. He was also a Sector Commander Special Task Force at Jos, Directing Staff and Director of Coordination at National Defence College (NDC) from 2015-2017, Commander 9 Brigade Nigerian Army Ikeja, Lagos State on 20 Jan 17, Deputy Director Nigerian Army Resource Centre Consult from April 2018 – August 2019 and presently the Deputy Commandant/Director of Studies NDC from 5 August 2019 till date.
Military courses attended include Commanding Officers’ Course in 2008, the UN Training Assistance Team/Mission Training Cell Course in Bangkok, Thailand in 2002, Command and Staff Operations Skill Course. He also attended the Training of Trainers Course on Leadership Teamwork and Team Management in Peace Support Operations by Africa Centre, Kings College London, Communication and Negotiation Skills Training for Peacekeepers by United States Institute of Peace amongst others. Maj Gen AE Attu is an alumni of the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Programme.
Maj Gen Attu has participated in a number of operations among which are ECOMOG OP LIBERTY 1993-1995, ECOMOG OP SANDS STORM-1998-1999, United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone 2001-2002, BAKASSI OP HARMONY 2005-2006 and OP ZAMAN LAFIA. He is married and blessed with children. The senior Officer enjoys reading motivational books, watching documentary films and playing badminton.