Despite petitions, Senate confirms Buratai, other ex-service chiefs as ambassadors-designate

Despite petitions and accusations of mass murders, torture and other human rights violations, the Senate, on Tuesday, confirmed the appointment of former service chiefs as non-career ambassadors-designate.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, following a letter by President Muhammadu Buhari for the confirmation of the non-career ambassador-designates, directed the Committee on Foreign Affairs to confirm General Abayomi Olonisakin (retd.) (Ekiti); Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.) (Borno); Vice Admiral Ibok- Ette Ibas (retd.) (Cross River; Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar(retd.) (Bauchi); and Air Vice Marshal Muhammad S. Usman (retd.) (Kano) as non-career ambassadors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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Their confirmation by the Senate on Thursday followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Mohammed Bulkachuwa.

However, an attempt by the Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, to draw the attention of his colleagues to a petition against their confirmation was stopped by the President of Senate, Punch reports.

Abaribe had asked Bulkachuwa, to explain why the petition against them was dismissed but Lawan said the petition lacked merit.