Buhari To Confer Buratai, Jamoh With National Honours

The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has approved the conferment of national honours on the former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.

It is understood that Buratai who is Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Benin Republic will be decorated with the rank of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR).

Buratai is decorated at an investiture ceremony scheduled for October 11, 2022, at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.

The decision to decorate Buratai with the national honour is coming months after the president appointed him and other retiring service chiefs as non-career ambassadors.

President Buhari appointed Buratai as the Ambassador to the Benin Republic, while a former Defence Chief, Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (retd.), was appointed as the Head of Mission to Cameroon.

Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Rtd), and Air Vice Marshal Mohammed S. Usman (Rtd) were also rewarded with Ambassador roles.

The decision to honour Buratai was conveyed in a letter marked FMSDIGA/NHA/001/T/90 and dated September 16, 2022.

The letter was signed by George Akume, the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs.

It partly reads, “I have the honour to formally inform you that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has approved the conferment of the National Honours on you, in the rank of CFR (Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic).”

Akume noted in the letter that accommodation with complimentary breakfast had been reserved for the former Buratai at Fraizer Suites, from where he would proceed to the venue of the ceremony while requesting him to “forward a one-page citation and current passport photograph” to an email provided.

In another letter dated September 19 and marked FMSDIGA/NHA/001/T/91, it was stated that President Buhari had approved the conferment of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) title on the Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Bashir Yusuf Jamoh.

Jamoh and Buratai were directed to visit a website (https://fmsdiga-nha.org.ng to provide their biodata and biography for processing of the national honours.