Confirmation of Former Service Chiefs as Non-Career Ambassadors by Senate

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed former service chiefs‎ – Tukur Buratai, Gabriel Olonisakin, Ibok Ibas and Abubakar Sadique as non-career ambassadors. ‎

Buratai was the immediate past Chief of Army Staff; Olonisakin was ‎former Chief of Defence Staff; Ibas was former Chief of Air Staff‎ while Sadique was former Chief of Naval Staff.

‎Their confirmation followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Mohammed Bulkachuwa.

‎An attempt by the Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, to draw the attention of his colleagues to a petition against their confirmation was stopped by the President of Senate, Ahmad Lawan.

Abaribe had asked Bulkachuwa, to explain why the petition against them was dismissed but Lawan said the petition lacked merit.‎‎

President Buhari had on February 5, 2021, sent the names of the former service chiefs to the Senate for confirmation as non-career ambassadors.‎

Nigerians had condemned their nomination, noting that it was a plan to shield them from prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged abuses committed by the Nigerian military under their watch.