The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, cleared
Ayodele Oke, Kayode Are and Aminu Dalhatu after an intense screening session at
the National Assembly.
The three nominees were part of the first batch transmitted
to the upper chamber by President Bola Tinubu.
The session focused on national security, previous service
records and controversies linked to past operational decisions.
Oke, a former director-general of the National Intelligence
Agency (NIA), previously served as Nigeria’s ambassador to the Commonwealth
secretariat in London.
Are is a former director-general of the Department of State
Services (DSS), while Dalhatu served as Nigeria’s ambassador to South Korea.
OKE RESPONDS TO ALLEGATIONS
The screening took a dramatic turn when Oke addressed
allegations that had resurfaced in the media after his nomination was
announced.
In April 2017, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
said it discovered $43 million, £27,000 and N23 million in a flat in Ikoyi
after a tip-off from a whistleblower.
Following reports that the money belonged to the NIA under
Oke’s watch, TheCable later reported that the agency collected $289,202,382 in
cash from the account of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services
at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in February 2015 after the general
election was postponed.
Oke thanked the senate for the opportunity to respond,
saying the issues they raised were “already in the public domain”.
He sought the committee’s permission to speak on the
concerns, adding that while he would not reveal sensitive operational details,
he was ready to provide clarifications.
Oke said under his leadership, between 2013 and 2017, the
NIA recorded “unprecedented progress — organisational, operational and
infrastructural”.
He said he built “the best conference centre in the
country”, noting that the land was an empty field when he assumed office.
The nominee maintained that the agency reached heights it
had never attained in its previous three decades.
Speaking on the controversial covert operation linked to his
tenure, Oke said the “clandestine operation” received approval from two
presidents and was executed strictly in the interest of national security.
He quoted author Philip Yancey and compared his experience
to biblical figures such as Joseph, Job, Esther and Ruth, saying he bore the
turbulence “with equanimity”.
Oke said he relied on three guiding principles — God,
country and honour — which shaped his 38-year career in public service.
He said the ordeal deeply affected him and his family,
noting that his 86-year-old mother died during the period, partly from distress
caused by “lies and damaging narratives”.
Members of the committee commended Oke for his explanations
and acknowledged the sensitivity of the issues raised.
Committee chair Sani Bello reminded the nominees to formally
consult senators from their home states because endorsement from at least two
state senators remains a requirement for clearance.
He said all three nominees presented strong credentials
drawn from decades of work in diplomacy, intelligence and public
administration.
Bello described their nomination as “a very good choice”,
adding that they had demonstrated competence and readiness for the assignments
ahead.
At the end of deliberations, the committee unanimously
recommended the confirmation of the three nominees.
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