JUST IN: Reps Take Action On Screening Of Service Chiefs

Nigeria’s House of Representatives has set up an ad-hoc committee for the screening of the newly appointed Service Chiefs.

During plenary on Wednesday, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, appointed the Chairman of House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson, as the head of the 20-member committee.

The speaker noted that the 20-member committee consists of five members each from the committees on Defence, Army, Navy, and Airforce.

Reading the President’s letter addressed to him, Gbajabiamila said that the president is seeking the confirmation of the newly appointed Service Chiefs.

In the letter, President Buhari said the appointments were in accordance with Section 171(1),(2)(c) & sub-section (4) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

Naija News reports that the new security heads are the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Auwal Gambo and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao.

They replaced the former Service Chiefs: Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar.

In a related development, the Nigerian Senate has referred the request of President Muhammadu Buhari on the screening of new service chiefs to its joint committees on Army, Navy, and Air force for necessary action.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan during plenary on Wednesday, gave the committee two weeks to conclude the assignment and present a report to the lawmakers during plenary.

Similarly, Lawan also directed the committee on Foreign Affairs to screen the immediate past service chiefs who had been nominated for appointment by Buhari as career ambassadors. They also have two weeks to conclude the assignment and report to the house.