| Gibson Jalo | |
| Honorific Prefix: | Lieutenant general |
| Office1: | Chief of Defence Staff |
| Term Start1: | 2 October 1981 |
| Term End1: | 31 December 1983 |
| Predecessor1: | Ipoola Alani Akinrinade |
| Successor1: | Domkat Bali |
| Office2: | Chief of Army Staff |
| Term Start2: | April 1980 |
| Term End2: | October 1981 |
| Predecessor2: | Ipoola Alani Akinrinade |
| Successor2: | Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi |
| Office3: | Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy |
| Term Start3: | August 1975 |
| Term End3: | January 1978 |
| Successor3: | Brig E.S. Armah |
| Birth Name: | Gibson Sanda Jalo |
| Birth Date: | 1 March 1939 |
| Birth Place: | Demsa, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now in Adamawa State, Nigeria) |
| Alma Mater: | Mons Officer Cadet School National Defence College |
| Allegiance: |  Nigeria |
| Branch: | Nigerian Army |
| Rank: | Lieutenant general |
Gibson Sanda Jalo (1 March 1939 – 10 January 2000) was a Nigerian Army lieutenant general, who was the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) from April 1980 until October 1981.[1] He also served as the Chief of Defence Staff from 1981 to 1983 during the Nigerian Second Republic.
Jalo was born on 1 March 1939 at Demsa in Adamawa State. He attended Yola Middle School (1950–1953) and Government College Keffi (1953–1958). He enlisted into the Infantry corps of the Royal Nigerian Military Force in 1959. He took the Regular Officers Cadet training course at the Royal West African Frontier Force Training School, Teshi in Ghana and subsequently attended MONS Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, UK. He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant as of 4 November 1960. While in service he took the Platoon Commander Tactics Course at the Nigerian Military Training College, the Joint Services Staff Course at Latner, United Kingdom, and also studied at the National Defence College, India.[2]
His first posting was with the 2 Brigade Transport Company, after which he became ADC to the General Officer Commanding Royal Nigerian Army.After a series of commands in the infantry, he was appointed Commandant of the Nigeria Defence Academy, GOC 3 Infantry Division, Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Army Staff and finally Chief of Defence Staff.[2]
| Rank | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant | 7 April 1962 | |
| Captain | 20 September 1964 | |
| Major | 10 June 1967 | |
| Lieutenant colonel | 11 May 1968 | |
| Colonel | 1 April 1970 | |
| Brigadier General | 1 October 1973 | |
| Major General | 1 January 1976 | |
| Lieutenant general | 15 April 1980 |