President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to confirm the appointment of three non-career ambassadors.
This is coming nearly two years after Tinubu recalled all Nigerian ambassadors, both career and non‑career, in September 2023.
The nominees are Kayode Are of Ogun state, Aminu Dalhatu of Jigawa state, and Ayodele Oke of Oyo state.
Here’s what you need to know about the nominees:
AYODELE OKE, AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE
State of Origin: Oyo State
Status: Retired Career Diplomat & Former Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
Professional Summary:
Distinguished career diplomat with over three decades of service in Nigeria’s foreign affairs and intelligence sectors. Expertise in international relations, multilateral diplomacy, and national security. Served as Nigeria’s top intelligence chief from 2013 to 2017, overseeing covert operations and foreign intelligence.
Key Appointments
Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Federal Republic of Nigeria
November 2013 – October 2017
– Appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan; oversaw Nigeria’s external intelligence operations, including counter-terrorism and strategic intelligence gathering.
– Ambassador to the Commonwealth Secretariat London, United Kingdom
c. 2005 – c. 2009.
– Represented Nigeria in multilateral engagements with the Commonwealth of Nations, advancing diplomatic, economic, and governance initiatives.
– Contributed to high-level policy dialogues and bilateral relations within the 56-member organization.
Director (Regions), National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Headquarters, Abuja
– Managed regional intelligence coordination and operations across Africa and beyond.
Earlier Diplomatic Career
– Joined the Nigerian Foreign Service as a career diplomat
– Served in various diplomatic postings and roles within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focusing on international relations and consular affairs
LATEEF KAYODE ARE, AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE
Year of Birth: 1955
Status: Retired Nigerian Army Colonel & Former Director General, State Security Service
Education:
– Master’s Degree in International Law and Diplomacy – University of Lagos, Nigeria – 1987
– B.Sc. (First Class Honours) Psychology – University of Ibadan, Nigeria – 1980 – (Best graduating student: University Senate Prize, Faculty of Social Sciences Prize, Department of Psychology Prize)
– Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Regular Combatant Course 12 – Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Nigerian Army – December 1974 (Among top 10 cadets)
Military Career:
– Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Nigerian Army – 1974
– Intelligence Officer, Directorate of Military Intelligence
– Promoted to Colonel
– Compulsory retirement from Nigerian Army – 1993
Senior National Security Appointments:
Director General, State Security Service (SSS) May 1999 – August 2007
(Longest-serving DG SSS in Nigerian history; served under Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Yar’Adua)
Deputy National Security Adviser, Federal Republic of Nigeria
April 2010 – c. 2010/2011
Acting National Security Adviser
18 September 2010 – 4 October 2010
(Interim appointment following resignation of Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau)
Professional profile summary:
Retired intelligence and national security expert with over 33 years of combined military and civilian intelligence service, including eight consecutive years as head of Nigeria’s domestic intelligence agency.
AMIN MUHAMMAD DALHATU, AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE
State of Origin: Jigawa State
Status: Career Diplomat & Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Professional Summary:
Seasoned Nigerian diplomat with extensive experience in international relations and bilateral diplomacy. Served as Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (South Korea), fostering economic, cultural, and political ties between Nigeria and host nations.
Key appointments
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Korea (South Korea) Embassy of Nigeria, Seoul
c. 2017 – c. 2023
– Presented Letters of Credence in September 2017 under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
– Oversaw diplomatic operations, consular services, and promotion of Nigeria-Korea relations, including trade, investment, and cultural exchanges.
Earlier Diplomatic Career
– Career diplomat in the Nigerian Foreign Service, with prior postings and roles in international diplomacy
– Contributed to Nigeria’s foreign policy implementation across various capacities within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
– Advanced diplomatic training and qualifications through the Nigerian Foreign Service.
(The Nation)
