President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, as his Special Envoy with Cabinet Rank Status, to Chad and the Lake Chad Basin Region.
Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation made the announcement in a statement.
The SGF said the appointment is in consonance with the resolution of the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission Member Countries.
The Special Envoy will monitor developments in Chad and the Lake Region; aid reconciliation and seamless progress towards return to democratic rule at the end of the current Transitional Military Council’s rule.
He will also collaborate with member countries and partners in the region with similar initiatives to restore stability, promote peace and, security; promote any other initiative ancillary to the restoration of peace and security in Chad, the North-East Nigeria and the Lake area.
Mustapha noted that Buhari has demonstrated the determination of Nigeria to lead regional security efforts that will stabilize the Lake Chad Basin Region, bring peace to Chad and eliminate the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.
“This is also a fulfilment of the President’s promise to General Mahamat Deby Itno, the President of the Transitional Military Council of Chad, to support a seamless progress towards return to democratic rule, when he visited Nigeria in May, 2021”, Mustapha said.
Kingibe,75 is a multi-lingual diplomat. He served as Federal Permanent Secretary, Secretary to the Constituent Assembly, Cabinet Minister, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
He participated in previous Nigeria-led Chadian reconciliation talks (Kano 1 & II as well as Lagos 1 & II).
Kingibe was the running mate to Moshood Kashimawo Olawake (MKO) Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential election annulled by the Ibrahim Babangida regime.