 He was Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna from February 1992 to January 1993.Aliyu became National Security Advisor in January 1993, and was promoted to Chief of Army Staff when Babangida passed control to the short-lived civilian government of the Nigerian Third Republic in August 1993.In November 1993, in a bid to consolidate his power General Sani Abacha replaced Aliyu with Chris Alli as chief of army staff.