Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd)
mni fnipr fapra fnarc FIOARM, (Sarkin Yakin Kanwan Katsina)
The Secretary, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd), mni fnipr fapra fnarc FIOARM, (Sarkin Yakin Kanwan Katsina), holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication from Bayero University Kano, Nigeria, and a Master of Arts degree in Media, Peace and Conflict Studies from the United Nations Mandated University for Peace (UPEACE), San Jose, Costa Rica and attended the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, as a member of Senior Executive Course 40, 2018. Furthermore, he has attended several professional courses, seminars, and workshops both within Nigeria and abroad.
Usman voluntarily retired from military service in February 2019. While in service, he promoted hard work, dedication, professional excellence and transformed public relations practice and strategic communication in the Nigerian Army. Before his voluntary retirement, he had served in various units and formations of the Nigerian Army. In addition, he had two tours of duty on United Nations Peace Keeping Operations in Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, and Eritrea from 2002-2003 and 2005-2006, respectively. He also held several command and staff appointments in various formations and units of the Nigerian Army, the last of which was, Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR).
A prolific writer and resourceful person, he has written many articles published in newspapers, magazines, and journals. He has also delivered papers at strategic military institutions and during seminars and workshops in Nigeria and other African countries on leadership, crisis, and strategic communication. In addition, he is a regular guest on many prime-time television and radio station programmes. He discusses national security, policies, and strategic communication. A well-decorated retired senior military officer, Brigadier-General SK Usman (rtd), has received many honours and awards from the military, civil organisations, and institutions.
He belongs to various professional bodies among which includes, member of the prestigious National Institute (mni), a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (FNIPR) and member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Fellow African Public Relations Association (fapra), Fellow, Nigerian Army Resource Centre (fnarc), as well as Fellow Institute of Organisational and Administrative Risk Management of Nigeria (FIOARM). He also holds the traditional title of Sarkin Yakin Kanwan Katsina. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of African Leadership Magazine and member of the Board of Trustees of Security Watch Africa Initiative, Chairman, Board of Trustees of Confederation of African Journalists (CAJ), Member of Board of Trustees of an NGO, Female Advocacy Mentoring Empowerment (FAME), and Secretary, Finance and Fund-Raising Committee of Nigerian Prize for Leadership. In addition, he is the National Publicity Secretary of the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI).