On Monday, the House of Representatives initiated the screening process for the recently appointed service chiefs by President Bola Tinubu.
Julius Ihonvbere, the Majority Leader of the House was tasked with overseeing the screening committee.
The service chiefs in question are Maj. Gen. Christopher Musa (Chief of Defence Staff), Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja (Chief of Army Staff), Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla (Chief of Naval Staff), and AVM Hassan Abubakar (Chief of Air Staff).
Babajimi Benson, the Chairman of the Adhoc Committee of the House, emphasized the importance of the Armed Forces adhering strictly to the provisions of the Appropriation Act. He further urged them to work collaboratively by sharing intelligence. Benson also conveyed that the performance of the service chiefs would undergo review by the National Assembly upon their confirmation.
Maj. Gen. Musa affirmed his commitment to safeguarding the country’s territorial integrity and promoting synergy within the Armed Forces during his tenure.
The House session followed the screening and confirmation of the service chiefs’ appointments by the Senate on the preceding Thursday. Senate President Godswill Akpabio stated that the service chiefs had responded to inquiries on defense-related matters and other pertinent issues during a closed-door session.
On June 19, 2023, exactly three weeks after assuming office, President Tinubu removed all existing service chiefs in Nigeria and appointed new individuals to these positions with immediate effect. This extensive shakeup resulted in the removal of Alkali Usman as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Lucky Irabor as the Chief of Defence Staff, Faruk Yahaya as the Chief of Army Staff, Awwal Gambo as the Chief of Naval Staff, and Isiaka Amao as the Chief of Air Staff.
Subsequently, the President appointed new service chiefs and designated Nuhu Ribadu, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as the new National Security Adviser (NSA). Ribadu replaced Babagana Monguno in this role. Additionally, Adeniyi Adewale was appointed as the Acting Comptroller General of Customs.
All newly appointed individuals have assumed their roles in an acting capacity until their confirmation by the National Assembly.
