President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated three seasoned professionals with decades of service in intelligence, diplomacy, and national security as non-career ambassadors to represent Nigeria in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
The nominees are Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, and Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu
This was made known in a post by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, who stated that the non-career ambassadorial postings will be finalised following screening and confirmation by the Nigerian Senate.
Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu previously served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Korea during the Buhari administration, following his initial appointment in 2016. Ambassador Ayodele Oke, an Emory University alumnus and former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), also represented Nigeria at the Secretariat of the Commonwealth of Nations in London.
President Tinubu has nominated non-career ambassadors for three countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. The postings will be finalised following Senate screening. The three nominees are Ambassador Ayodele Oke, Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, and… pic.twitter.com/Nlp4zqJxtZ
— Bayo Onanuga, OON, CON (@aonanuga1956) November 26, 2025
Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, a respected intelligence officer, was Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) from 1999 to 2007, later served as National Security Adviser in 2010, and was an officer in the Directorate of Military Intelligence.