President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, swore in seven new ministers recently screened and confirmed by the Senate.
The first batch sworn in included Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh – Abia State, Umana Okon Umana – Akwa Ibom State, Odum Odih – Rivers State, and Ademola Adewole Adegoroye – Ondo State.
The second batch sworn in comprised Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub – Kano State, Goodluck Nnana Opiah – Imo State, and Egwumakama Joseph Nkama – Ebonyi State.
Immediately after that Buhari has assigned the new Ministers portfolios while carrying out a minor cabinet reshuffle.
This is even as the Federal Government has confirmed that about 600 inmates escaped from the Kuje Correctional Centre following Tuesday evening’s attack by suspected terrorists.
During a visit to the facility, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Mr Shuaibu Belgore explained that over 300 of the inmates have been retrieved and more are on the way.
Belgore added that the facility houses 994 inmates and that the attackers, which he suspects are Boko Haram terrorists, attacked the facility to rescue their co-conspirators.
However, in the cabinet reshuffle, the erstwhile Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adeleke Mamora has be redeployed to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation as the substantive Minister, while the erstwhile Minister of State for Works and Housing, Muazu Jaji Sambo, has been moved to the Ministry of Transportation in the same capacity.
ALSO READ:Mixed Reactions Trail Restructuring Of Benin. Ibadan, Three Other DisCos By FG
Newly appointed Minister Umanna Okon Umanna is the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, while the erstwhile Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, was moved to Niger Delta Affairs in the same capacity.
Erstwhile Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, has been redeployed to the Ministry Mines and Steel Development in the same capacity, while Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub is the new Minister of State for Works and Housing.
New FEC members Goodluck Nanah Opiah, Ekumankama Joseph Nkama, Ikoh Henry Ikechukwu, Odum Udi and Ademola Adewole Adegoroye are Ministers of State in the Ministries of Education, Health, Science and Technology, Environment and Transportation, respectively.
Meanwhile some Nigerians have called on president Buhari to sack the interior minister, Rauf Aregbesola, for what they describe as ‘attacks too many’.
“From all indications, Aregbesola has not displayed enough competence in his handling of issues under his ministry.
“It has always been hail breaks, attacks or revolts withing the various correctional centres, making done of us to ask, is there a minister in charge of Interior?,“ says a concerned Nigerian.
