Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi is a Nigerian politician and diplomat who previously served as Minister of State for Defence. He is the son of former military leader Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, and was the ambassador to Togo before former President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him to succeed as Minister of state for Defence. Aguiyi-Ironsi is from Umuahia, Abia State. On 24 January 2007, Aguiyi-Ironsi announced that Nigeria would send a battalion of peacekeeping troops to Somalia.