Buhari Seeks Senate’s Confirmation of Yahaya as Chief of Army Staff

Upper chamber wants FG to immortalise Attahiru

Deji Elumoye

President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate seeking its confirmation of the appointment of Major General Yahaya Farouk as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

This is coming just as the upper legislative chamber urged the federal government to immortalise the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru, who died in an air crash in Kaduna last month while on official assignment.

The President, in the request letter dated May 27, 2021 addressed to the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan and read at yesterday’s plenary, implored the upper legislative chamber to give his request the usual expeditious approval.

The letter read in part: “I hereby forward for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of Maj. Gen. Farouk Yahaya as the Chief of Army Staff of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“His CV is herewith attached. It is my hope that the Senate will consider and confirm the nominee in the usual expeditious manner.

“Please accept Distinguish Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

President Buhari had last Thursday named Farouk as the new COAS after the death of former Army

Chief, Lt.Gen Attahiru, who died in an air crash in Kaduna on Friday, May 21, 2021.

Also yesterday, the Senate called on the federal Government to immortalise Attahiru by naming a military structure in his honour so that an appreciative nation will live to remember its heroes.

This was sequel to the adoption of a point of order moved by Senator Ali Ndume on the death of Attahiru and 10 others in an ill-fated plane crash that occurred in Kaduna two weeks ago.

Ndume while expressing shock over the death of the nation’s 21st Chief of Army Staff, noted that the patriotic and exemplary leadership of the late Chief of Army Staff was reflected in the brief period he held sway as the nation’s Army Chief.

The Senate while condoling with the President, families of the deceased, the Armed Forces and the Nigerian people over the unfortunate incident, stressed that their death will not be in vain as they died in the line of duty and in the service of the fatherland.

The Senate after observing a minute silence for the repose of the souls of the deceased also resolved to send a delegation from the Senate to visit and condole the families of the deceased.