By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday approved the posting of three ambassador-designates to France, the United States and the United Kingdom, more than two years after Nigeria recalled all its envoys abroad.
The posting covers Colonel Lateef Are (United States) and Ambassador Ayodele Oke (France), and Ambassador Amin Dalhatu (United Kingdom).
The development comes over two years after Tinubu, in September 2023, ordered the recall of all ambassadors from Nigeria’s 109 foreign missions — comprising 76 embassies, 22 high commissions and 11 consulates.
Since then, most of Nigeria’s missions have been run by chargés d’affaires or senior consular officers with limited authority to represent the country in formal diplomatic negotiations.
With Are, who hails from Ogun State, now named as Nigeria’s envoy to Washington, here are key things to know about him:
A top graduate of the Nigerian Defence Academy
Lateef Are was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in December 1974 from the Nigerian Defence Academy as part of Regular Course 12.
He graduated among the best ten student officers and was deployed to the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps after completing his training.
Some of his course mates later rose to national prominence, including General Owoye Andrew Azazi, Colonel Sambo Dasuki and Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye.
A First-Class graduate from UI
Beyond his military training, Are distinguished himself academically.
He graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Psychology from the University of Ibadan in 1980, winning the University Senate Prize, Faculty of Social Sciences Prize and the Department of Psychology Prize as the best graduating student.
He later obtained a master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos in 1987.
Former Director-General of the DSS
Are worked closely with General Aliyu Gusau at the Directorate of Military Intelligence during his military career.
In 1999, when Gusau was appointed National Security Adviser, he recommended Are to President Olusegun Obasanjo, who subsequently named him Director-General of the State Security Service.
His appointment attracted public attention at the time, with reports speculating that his Owu ties with Obasanjo may have influenced the decision.
Former Deputy National Security Adviser
In April 2010, Are was appointed Deputy National Security Adviser by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Following the resignation of Aliyu Gusau as NSA, Are briefly took over as Acting National Security Adviser.
However, Jonathan later relieved him of the position and appointed General Owoye Andrew Azazi as NSA, effective October 4, 2010.
Later controversy
After leaving office, Are again came into the public spotlight in 2015 following a dispute with the State Security Service over his Ikoyi residence, which had been allocated to him as a post-service benefit.
The SSS later asked him to vacate the property, a move Are challenged in court. At the time, Are told Premium Times that the operatives pulled down doors, chased his family away and threw out their belongings despite the court order. A Federal High Court subsequently ordered the SSS to reinstate Are and his family to the residence pending the determination of the suit.
Are’s posting comes amid heightened attention to Nigeria–US relations, following recent remarks by US officials about security challenges in the country.
The Punch