Nigerian Senate is now set to screen and confirm the country’s Service Chiefs, following President Tinubu’s request seeking endorsement of the Parliament.
President Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and read on Tuesday before going into other business of the day.
The new Service Chiefs are Maj. Gen. Christopher Musa – Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen. Tahoreed Lagbaja – Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla – Chief of Naval Staff, Air Vice Marshal Halidu Abubakar – Chief of Air Staff, Kayode Egbetokun – Acting Inspector General of Police and Maj Gen. E. P. A Undiandeye – Chief of Defence Intelligence.
President Tinubu had on Monday, June 19 approved the immediate retirement of all Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, Advisers, and the Comptroller-General of Customs Service and subsequently appoints new Service Chiefs.
They replaced General Lucky Irabor -Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru -Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo -Chief of Naval Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao -Chief of Air Staff, Usman Alkali Baba -Inspector General of Police.
The new appointments, according to Tinubu were in compliance with Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act. Cap A20 Laws the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The planned screening and approval of the Service Chiefs by the Senate at Committee of the whole, as explained by Senate President arose from the fact that standing Committees on Defence, Army, Navy and Air Force are yet to be constituted.
He added that the screening will be done expeditiously in line with request made by the President and the need for re – engineering of the nation’s security architecture.
Olusola Akintonde
