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.
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, and Ayodele Oke of Oyo State.
Here are 11 things you probably didn’t know about Lateef Kayode Are, the ex-DG SSS whose home was raided by operatives over a property dispute:
He was born in 1955
He is a native of Kwara State but of Owu’s ancestry
He attended the University of Ibadan in 1980, where he graduated with a first-class honors degree in psychology
He reportedly won several prizes, including the University Senate prize, the Faculty of Social Sciences prize, and the Department of Psychology prize for best graduating student
He furthered his education with a master’s degree in international law and diplomacy from the University of Lagos
He started his military career in December 1974 after graduating from the Nigerian Defence Academy as a 2nd Lieutenant
He served in the Directorate of Military Intelligence and rose to the rank of colonel before being compulsorily retired by General Sani Abacha in 1993
He later served as Director General of the SSS from 1999 to 2007 and briefly as National Security Adviser in 2010
In 2015, his Ikoyi home was invaded by operatives of the Lawal Daura-led SSS following a disagreement over land ownership.
He is now a non-career ambassador nominee.
He is married with children.