President Bola Tinubu has nominated three non-career ambassadors to represent Nigeria in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, with their postings expected to be confirmed after Senate screening.
The appointees are Kayode Are from Ogun State, Aminu Dalhatu from Jigawa, and Ayodele Oke from Oyo State.
Here are 15 things you probably didn’t know about Ayodele Oke, the ex-NIA boss accused of diverting public funds and now a non-career ambassador nominee:
He was born in Oyo State
He studied economics and political science at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
He has three decades of service in Nigeria’s foreign affairs and intelligence sectors
In 2005, he served as Nigeria’s ambassador to the Commonwealth Secretariat in London
He has expertise in international relations, multilateral diplomacy, and national security
He represented Nigeria in multilateral engagements with the Commonwealth of Nations, advancing diplomatic, economic, and governance initiatives
He was appointed Director-General of the NIA by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013
He oversaw Nigeria’s external intelligence operations, covert activities, and diplomatic intelligence coordination
He contributed to high-level policy dialogues and bilateral relations within the 56-member organization
He managed regional intelligence coordination and operations across Africa and beyond
He joined the Nigerian Foreign Service as a career diplomat
He served in various diplomatic postings and roles within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focusing on international relations and consular affairs
He was involved in the 2017 Ikoyi cash scandal, where a large amount of cash was discovered in an apartment linked to his family
He was suspended and eventually dismissed from his position in 2017 following the Ikoyi cash controversy
He was charged by the EFCC for alleged diversion of government funds, but the case was later withdrawn on “national security” grounds