The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Major General Faruk Yahaya as the Chief of Army Staff.
His confirmation followed the consideration of a report by the Joint Committee of Defence and Army.
Faruk was appointed on May 27, 2021, by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), following the death of the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, in a plane crash which occurred in Kaduna on May 21, 2021.
The Chairman of the Joint Committee, Aliyu Wamakko (APC, Sokoto North), in his presentation, said Faruk’s nomination was in line with section 217 (2abc) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and in accordance with the provision of sections 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
He disclosed that the committee did not receive any petitions on the nominee was cleared by the Department of State Service.
Wamakko said that during the screening, “the nominee’s knowledge of the strategic capabilities of the Army was exhaustive and impressive.”
“He showed a clear knowledge of the Army with apt for a Chief of Army Staff. Despite the Army being the largest of the Armed Forces, the nominee was clear in his vision to encourage joint operational synergy with other services for success in all theatre of operations,” he added.
The Chairman of the Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume said, “I want to appeal to the Senate, to expeditiously approve this confirmation so that the Chief of Army Staff be decorated accordingly to enable him start some of the jobs he cannot do now because he is still in acting capacity.”
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said, “Let me also remark here that what our country faces may be military, but the military alone cannot resolve the security challenges. The military needs the support of each and every single citizen of this country.”
Copyright PUNCH.
