Domkat Bali

Domkat Yah Bali (born 27 February 1940) is the Ponzhi Tarok since December, 2010. He is a retired four-star General of the Nigerian Army. He was Minister of Defence and member of the Supreme Military Council of 1984–1985, and the Armed Forces Ruling Council of 1985–1990. Bali joined the Nigerian Army in 1961 and is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Domkat Bali
Minister of Defence
In office 1984–1990
Preceded by	Akanbi Oniyangi
Succeeded by	Sani Abacha
Chief of Defence Staff
In office 1984–1990
Preceded by	Gibson Jalo
Succeeded by	Sani Abacha
General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Lagos
In office January 1978 – December 1979
Preceded by	Brig. M.I. Wushishi
Succeeded by	Brig. M. Buhari
In office 2010 – present
Preceded by	Edward Cirdap Zhattau
Personal details
Alma mater	Nigerian Military Training College Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Military service
Branch/service	Nigerian Army
Years of service	1961–1990
Rank	General

Life

Domkat Bali was born in Langtang, Plateau State to the family of Hassan Bali Tabut and Yinkat Bali. He had his primary education at Mban, Langtang and from 1955 to 1960, he attended the provincial secondary school at Kuru. He undertook further military courses at Camberley, London.[1]

He entered Nigerian Military Training College in 1961 and in 1964, he was a lieutenant and troop commander. Bali became captain a year later in 1965. In 1966, he was battery commander and during the Nigerian Civil War, he was a regimental commander. He was made major in 1968. Between 1970 and 1971, Bali was commander, Corps of Artillery and later became a colonel at the Second Infantry Division in Ibadan. In 1973, he was posted to Akure as the commander of the 9th Infantry Brigade, he was adjutant general Nigerian army in 1975, commander Corps of Artillery in 1976 and in 1978, he was the GOC of the First Infantry Division, Kaduna. Prior to becoming Defense Minister in 1984, he was Commandant of the Nigerian Armed Forces Command and Staff College from 1981 to 1983[2] and later director of army training and operations.

He resigned from the army on January 10, 1990 . He was the Chairman of HFP Engineering, builders of Victoria Garden City, Lagos Nigeria. He is married to Esther Bali an educationist and they have two children, Nanna and Ponfa.

References

1. "Special Report on Nigeria (2): Who's who since the coup" Leadership profiles, The Guardian (London), September 13, 1985
2. "Past Commandants". Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.