Following the confirmation of the appointment of the service chiefs by the Senate last week, the House of Representatives has begun the screening process for the recently appointed service chiefs. Led by the Majority Leader of the House, Julius Ihonvbere, the screening committee conducted an extensive session to assess the qualifications and capabilities of the appointees.
Chairman of the adhoc Committee of the House, Babajimi Benson, emphasized the importance of adherence to the provisions of the Appropriation Act by the Armed Forces. He further urged the service chiefs to work in synergy by sharing intelligence. Benson stated that the performance of the service chiefs would be subject to review by the National Assembly if they are confirmed.
During the closed-door session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio revealed that the service chiefs answered questions on defense-related matters and topical issues. The aim was to assess their understanding of crucial defense strategies and their ability to handle the country’s security challenges.
President Bola Tinubu initiated the significant shakeup in the security apparatus of Nigeria three weeks after his inauguration. He removed Alkali Usman as the Inspector-General of Police and replaced the top leadership of the military branches, including the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, and Chief of Air Staff. Tinubu appointed Maj. Gen. Christopher Musa as the new Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja as the Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla as the Chief of Naval Staff, and AVM Hassan Abubakar as the Chief of Air Staff.
Additionally, Tinubu appointed Nuhu Ribadu, a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as the new National Security Adviser (NSA), replacing Babagana Monguno. Adeniyi Adewale was also appointed as the Acting Comptroller General of Customs.
The new appointees have assumed their roles in an acting capacity pending confirmation by the National Assembly. The screening process conducted by the House of Representatives aims to ensure that the service chiefs possess the necessary competence and commitment to protect Nigeria’s territorial integrity and work collaboratively to address the country’s security concerns.
