PROFILE OF COLONEL AY BELLO, Ag DVC MILITARY NIGERIAN ARMY UNIVERSITY BIU
As a seasoned academia, the officer represents the quintessential “scholar-soldier”- a leader who seamlessly bridges the gap between regimental discipline and high level intellectual inquiry; Colonel Bello’s Academic journey is marked by excellence. He began his path with a Bachelor of Arts of degree in History from the University of Abuja, followed by a Master of Arts degree from the University of Ilorin. His pursuit of knowledge culminated in a Ph.D. in History and International Studies from the Federal University Lafia in 2023.
However, to augment his academic career with necessary skills, Colonel Bello recently acquired a second Master’s degree in Leadership and Strategic Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy in 2025 and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Education from Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto. This unique combination of historical perspective and modern strategic thought makes him exceptionally qualified to guide the military wing of a tertiary institution.
Commissioned into the Nigerian Army Education Corps (NAEC) in 2007, Colonel Bello’s Military career has risen through the ranks not just by time served, but by impact made. He is a seasoned administrator with a track record of transforming educational institutions. He served as the Acting Commandant for both Command Science Secondary School, Lafia, and Command Science and Technical Secondary School, Rinze-Akwanga, where he oversaw the administration and welfare of staff and students.
He has held pivotal roles at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) and the National Defence College, serving as Director of Library and Archives and Assistant Director of Military History. These roles honed his ability to manage sensitive information and support high-level research. With a foundation as an Instructor at the Nigerian Army School of Education and the Warrant Officer’s Academy, he possesses deep empathy for the teaching and learning process.
Colonel AY Bello represents the quintessential “Scholar-Soldier”—a leader who seamlessly bridges the gap between regimental discipline and high-level intellectual inquiry. As the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Military) of the Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB), assumed in December 2025, Colonel Bello brings to the table a career defined by continuous learning, strategic administration, and educational management.
Colonel Bello is not confined by borders or traditional methods. His professional development includes leadership course organized by the NARC in partnership with the United States, United Kingdom (King’s College London), and participation in UN forums in New York. Notably, his recent training in “Managing Diversity, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies” demonstrates a forward-thinking mindset prepared for the digital age of warfare and education.
He is a certified teacher, a professional manager (NIM), Member Historical Society of Nigeria, Member Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) and an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, equipping him with the diplomatic skills necessary for university administration.
Beyond his uniform, Colonel Bello is a man of deep contemplation and connection with nature. His hobbies reveal a personality grounded in patience and strategy: he is an avid chess player (indicative of his strategic foresight), a reader, and a farmer who enjoys planting crops and observing nature.
He is a devoted family man, married to Mrs. Jameelah AY Bello, and a proud father of five children.
In Conclusion, Colonel AY Bello is a leader who leads by example. With his assumption of office as DVC Military, NAUB gains a seasoned educationist, a historian with a view of the future, and a disciplined officer dedicated to the holistic development of the next generation of leaders.