President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed former Minister of Interior and retired Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau as Nigeria’s new ambassador to China, a move aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries.
Dambazau, a former Chief of Army Staff, brings decades of military leadership, academic scholarship and public service experience to one of Nigeria’s most strategic diplomatic postings.
Born on March 14, 1954, in Zaria, Kaduna State, the retired general built a distinguished career in the Nigerian Army, where he rose through the ranks before being appointed Chief of Army Staff in 2008. He served in that capacity until 2010, overseeing reforms aimed at strengthening the operational capacity and professionalism of the army.
Following his retirement from the military, Dambazau later joined partisan politics and played a role in the security architecture of the All Progressives Congress. After the party’s victory in the 2015 general elections, he was appointed Minister of Interior by former President Muhammadu Buhari, a position he held from 2015 to 2019.
As Minister of Interior, he supervised key internal security and paramilitary agencies, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service, and the Nigerian Correctional Service.
Beyond government service, Dambazau is also known for his academic contributions in the field of security and criminology. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Kent State University in the United States and a PhD in Criminology from University of Keele in the United Kingdom. His research and publications focus on national security, crime prevention and border management.
The retired general has also remained active in academia and institutional leadership. He currently serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Capital City University, where he contributes to policy discussions and academic development.
Dambazau’s appointment comes at a time when Nigeria is seeking to deepen its strategic partnership with China, particularly in areas such as infrastructure development, trade, technology cooperation and industrial investment.
Analysts say his background in security governance and policy may help strengthen bilateral engagement as both countries expand cooperation across economic and diplomatic fronts.
China is one of Nigeria’s largest trading partners and a major investor in infrastructure projects across the country. Observers believe the new envoy will play a key role in advancing Nigeria’s interests while consolidating relations between Abuja and Beijing.
FULL LIST OF NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADORS
President Tinubu also approved the posting of 63 other ambassadors to Nigeria’s foreign missions, including 31 career diplomats and 34 non-career envoys.
According to a statement by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the non-career appointees are Ita Enang, posted to South Africa; Reno Omokri, to Mexico; Jimoh Ibrahim, Nigeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations; and Femi Fani-Kayode, posted to Germany.
Others include Isaac Adewole, former minister of health, assigned to Canada; Lateef Kayode Are, to the United States; and Aminu Dalhatu, to the United Kingdom.
Tinubu has directed the foreign affairs ministry to begin the induction programme for the ambassadors-designate and high commissioners ahead of their deployment to their respective missions.
POSTINGS OF NON-CAREER AMBASSADORS / HIGH COMMISSIONERS
S/N NAME MISSION APPROVED
SENATOR GRACE BENT: LOME-TOGO
SEN. ITA ENANG: SOUTH AFRICA
IKPEAZU VICTOR: SPAIN
NKECHI LINDA UFOCHUKWU: TEL-AVIV, ISRAEL
MAHMUD YAKUBU: QATAR
PAUL OGA ADIKWU: THE VATICAN CITY HOLY SEE
VICE ADMIRAL IBOK-ETE EKWE IBAS: THE PHILIPPINES
MR. RENO OMOKRI: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
HON. (ENGR.) ABASI BRAIMAH (FMHR): BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
MRS. ERELU ANGELA ADEBAYO: PORTUGAL
BARR. OLUMILUA OLUWAYIMIKA AYOTUNWA: TOKYO, JAPAN
RT. HON. UGWUANYI IFEANYI LAWRENCE: ATHENS, GREECE
BARR. CHIOMA PRISCILLA OHAKIM: WARSAW, POLAND
AMINU DALHATU: UNITED KINGDOM, UK
LT. GEN ABDULRAHMAN BELLO DAMBAZAU: BEIJING, CHINA
HON. TASIU MUSA MAIGARI: GAMBIA
OLUFEMI PEDRO: AUSTRALIA
BARR. MUHAMMED UBANDOMA ALIYU: ARGENTINA
LATEEF KAYODE ARE: USA
AMB. JOSEPH SOLA IJI: RUSSIA
SEN. JIMOH IBRAHIM: UN PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
FEMI FANI KAYODE: GERMANY
PROF. ISAAK FOLORUNSO ADEWOLE: OTTAWA, CANADA
AJIMOBI FATIMA FLORENCE (F): AUSTRIA
MRS. LOLA AKANDE (F): SWEDEN
AYODELE OKE: FRANCE
YAKUBU N. GAMBO: SAUDI ARABIA
SENATOR PROF. NORA LADI DADUUT: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
BARR. ONUEZE CHUKWUJIKA JOE OKOCHA SAN: DUBLIN
DR. KULU HARUNA ABUBAKAR: TUNIS, TUNISIA
RT. HON. JERRY SAMUEL MANWE: PORT OF SPAIN, T&T
POSTINGS OF CAREER AMBASSADORS / HIGH COMMISSIONERS LIST
S/N NAME MISSION APPROVED
AMB. NWABIOLA EZENWA CHUKWUMEKA: COTE D’IV/OIRE
BESTO MAIMUNA IBRAHIM: NIAMEY-NIGER
MONICA OKWUCHUKWU ENEBECHI: SAO TOME, STP
AMB. MOHAMMED MAHMUD LELE: ALGIERS-ALGERIA
ENDONI SYNDOPH PAEBI: OUAGADOUGOU-BURKINA FASO
AHMED MOHAMMED MONGUNO: CAIRO EGYPT
AMB.JANE ADAMS (NEE OKON) MICHAEL (F): KINGSTON-JAMAICA
AMB. CLARK-OMERU ALEXANDRA (F): LUSAKA-ZAMBIA
CHIMA GEOGGREY LIOMA DAVID: BAMAKO-MALI
AMB. ODUMAH YVONNE EHINOSEN: MALABO –E/GUINEA
AMB WASA SEGUN IGE: BEIRUT, LEBANON
RUBEN ABIMBOLA SAMUEL (F): ROME, ITALY
AMB.ONAGA OGECHUKWU KINGSLEY: MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE
AMB.MAGAJI UMAR: KINSASHA, DR CONGO
AMB.MUHAMMAD SAIDU DAHIRU: NEW DELHI-INDIA
AMB. ABDUSSALAM HABU ZAYYAD: DAKAR-SENEGAL
AMB SHEHU ILU BARDE: ACCRA GHANA
AMB.AMINU NASIR: ETHIOPIA
ABUBAKAR MUSA MUSA: N’DJAMENA, CHAD
AMB. HAIDARA MOHAMMED IDRIS: THE HAGUE-NETHERLANDS
AMB.BAKO ADAMU UMAR: RABAT-MOROCCO
AMB. SULU GAMBARI OLATUNJI AHMED: MALAYSIA
AMB.ROMATA MOHAMMED OMOBOLANLE (F): TANZANIA
AMB. SHAGA JOHN SHAMAH: BOTSWANA
SALAU, HAMZA MOHAMMED: TEHRAN, IRAN
AMB.IBRAHIM DANLAMI: KENYA
IBRAHIM ADEOLA MOPELOLA (F): COTONOU-BENIN
AMB.AYENI ADEBAYO EMMANUEL: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
AMB.AKANDE WAHAB ADEKOLA: BERNE-SWITZERLAND
AMB. AREWA (NEE ADEDOKUN) ESTHER (F): WINDHOEK-NAMIBIA
AMB.GERGADI JOSEPH JOHN: LIBREVILLE-GABON
AMB. LUTHER OGBOMODE AYO-KALATA (F): SIERRA LEONE
DANLADI YAKUBU NYAKU : KHARTOUM-SUDAN
BELLO DOGON-DAJI HALIRU: BANGKOK, THAILAND
