July 1978 he was promoted to the rank of colonel. He was appointed as the director of manpower (manning) and planning, Army Headquarters in October 1979. In May 1980 he was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general. In 1981, he attended the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria and in 1982 he attended the International Defence Management Course, Naval Postgraduate School, US. He was the military secretary of the Nigerian Army from 1981 to 1983. Military administrator of Borno State From August 1978 to October 1979, the military Head of State, General Obasanjo appointed Idiagbon as the military administrator (position now called governor) of Borno State, Nigeria. Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters General Muhammadu Buhari made Idiagbon his second-in-command as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters from 31 December 1983 to 27 August 1985. Described as a thorough military man, he played a key role as the hallmark of Buhari's military government. Idiagbon was promoted to the rank of major-general in 1985. He controlled all visible instruments of national, political, governmental and administrative powers. Idiagbon was responsible for introducing, announcing and implementing many of the government's major policies, they include: War Against Indiscipline The five phases of the War Against Indiscipline which Idiagbon announced and implemented were: Phase One - Queuing, launched on 20 March 1984 Phase Two - Work Ethics, launched on 1 May 1984 Phase Three - Nationalism and Patriotism, launched on 21 August 1984 Phase Four - Anti-Corruption and Economic Sabotage, launched on 14 May 1985 Phase Five - Environmental Sanitation, launched on 29 July 1985 Currency change and currency exchange rate policy In April 1984, Idiagbon announced the introduction of a new currency for Nigeria. He said the new currency would keep the same name, but the colors of bills would be different. He also announced limits to currency exchange for corporations and individuals. The individual limit was $7,000. He said any corporation or individual exchanging in excess of the limit had to explain where the money came from and needed government clearance. According to Idiagbon the major cause of the nation's economic problems "is the deliberate sabotage of the Nigerian currency through large-scale illegal trafficking of the currency". Import substitution industrialisation policy In 1984, Idiagbon implemented the military government's import substitution industrialisation policy based on the use of local materials. Importation was tightened. The aim was to ensure the growth