Why Buhari Moved To Nominate Former Service Chiefs Buratai, Others As Non-Career Ambassadors

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The Nigerian President, Mohammed Buhari moved to preempt the International Criminal Court, ICC, war crime charges by nominating former service chiefs as ambassadors.

In a statement published on Thursday by the Media Adviser to the president, Femi Adesina, it quoted:

"President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded the names of the immediate past Service Chiefs to the Senate as non-career Ambassadors-Designate."

Tukur Buratai, Sadique Abubakar, Gabriel Olonisakin and Ibok Ekwe Ibas were asked to resign on January 26, with the president filling their respective positions immediately.

Barely a week on, President Buhari has now sent the names of the ex military chiefs to the Senate, seeking their approval as non-career ambassadors.

Petitions have flooded the ICC and other international bodies for Buratai to be charged for war crimes over his role in the December 2015 massacre of Shiites in Zaria; October 20, 2020, deadly attacks on #EndSARS protesters in Lagos, amongst other disproportionate use of military force against IPOB members and Nigerian civilians.

Former ICC prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda disclosed in December report that her office had established sufficient grounds to proceed with war crimes investigation against Buratai and other military chiefs over multiple cases of crimes against humanity in Nigeria.

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But Buratai’s new role as a diplomat could complicate calls for his prosecution, even though he said he was not afraid of war crime charges.

Read full statement,

"PRESIDENT BUHARI NOMINATES OLONISAKIN, BURATAI, IBAS, ABUBAKAR, USMAN AS NON-CAREER AMBASSADORS, it quoted:

"President Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded the names of the immediate past Service Chiefs to the Senate as non-career Ambassadors-Designate.

"In a letter to Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, President of the Senate, the President said: “In accordance with section 171 (1), (2) (c) & sub-section (4) of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, I have the honour to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the under-listed five (5) names of nominees as Non-Career Ambassadors-Designate.

"The nominees are: Gen Abayomi G. Olonisakin (Rtd ), Lt Gen Tukur Y. Buratai (Rtd), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Rtd), and Air Vice Marshal Mohammed S. Usman (Rtd).

"The President urged the Senate to give expeditious consideration to the nominations."

___Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
February 4, 2021.

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