Reps set up committee to screen new service chiefs

The House of Representatives has set up an ad-hoc committee for the screening of the newly appointed service chiefs.

The 20-member committee, headed by the Chairman of House Committee on Defence, Rep. Babajimi Benson, was set up after the receipt of a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari.

• SSANU/NASU strike takes toll on students
• Bayelsa communities awash in spills yet oil coys deny leak

The letter, addressed to the Speaker, Rep Femi Gbajabiamila, was read during plenary on Wednesday.

The 20-member committee consists of five members each from the committees on Defence, Army, Navy and Airforce.

Reading the Buhari’s letter, Gbajabiamila stated that the president was seeking for the confirmation of the newly appointed service chiefs.

In the letter, President Buhari said the appointments were in accordance to section 171(1),(2)(c) & sub-section (4) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

The new service chiefs are the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Auwal Gambo and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao.

They replaced the former Service Chiefs: Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar.