“It’s great to work with someone who wants to do things differently.” Keith Bell.
*Photo: Ambassador Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, CFR*
The appointment of Ambassador Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, CFR, as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has been widely applauded across Nigeria’s political landscape.
For many observers, the decision reflects a deliberate move to place experience, competence, and strategic leadership at the forefront of Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement with one of the world’s leading global powers.
Ambassador Dambazau is widely regarded as a consummate strategist, prolific writer, criminologist, peace and conflict expert, and an accomplished team player. His appointment is viewed by many as a classic example of putting “a round peg in a round hole,” especially at a time when Nigeria seeks stronger bilateral cooperation with China under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
A distinguished product of Barewa College, Zaria, and the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Dambazau further advanced his academic and professional career at the U.S. Army Military Police School, Fort McClellan. He later earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Kent State University in 1982 and obtained a PhD in Criminology from the University of Keele in 1989.
As former Chief of Army Staff, Ambassador Dambazau demonstrated visionary leadership through landmark initiatives that significantly transformed the Nigerian Army.
Among his notable achievements were the establishment of the Nigerian Army Wide Area Network Infrastructure (NAWANI) in 2010, the reconstruction and upgrade of the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital to a standard comparable with United Nations facilities, and the construction of Yar’Adua Barracks through direct labour using Army Engineers.
He also expanded the Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre to train two battalions simultaneously, earning it United Nations recognition as a regional training centre. In addition, he revised all Nigerian Army training manuals and laid the foundation for the Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency Training Centre in Jaji, Kaduna State.
These accomplishments remain shining examples of purposeful military leadership and institutional reform.
Following his retirement from military service in 2010, Dambazau ventured into partisan politics with the aim of contributing to national development. As a committed member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he played key roles during the 2023 presidential campaign. He served as Head of the Security Committee of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and later became Special Adviser on Strategic Engagement to the presidential candidate.
Demonstrating loyalty to President Tinubu’s vision, he founded and chaired Tinubu for Good Governance during the 2023 presidential campaign across Kano State and the wider North -West region. He was also appointed a member of the 2024 Ondo State National Governorship Campaign Council (ONDO-NGCC).
In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of modern India: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” This philosophy aptly captures Dambazau’s tenure as Minister of Interior under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
During his time at the ministry, he introduced far-reaching reforms across the four agencies under the Ministry of Interior.
These reforms streamlined career progression, training, appointments, promotions, and capacity building for officers. He also introduced biometric and digitalised international passports, integrated with Advance Passenger Information Systems in partnership with INTERPOL.
Furthermore, Dambazau championed reforms in the Nigerian Correctional Service aimed at reducing the population of awaiting-trial inmates. His administration procured operational vehicles to facilitate inmate transportation and accelerate justice delivery. He also oversaw the construction of a 3,000-capacity correctional centre and facilitated the signing of a new Correctional Act focused on rehabilitation and reintegration in line with United Nations standards, popularly known as the Mandela Rules.
Another major innovation under his leadership was the establishment of the Agro Rangers Unit within the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to protect agricultural investments from banditry and criminal attacks. He also partnered with the European Union on programmes addressing irregular migration and human trafficking, creating opportunities for stranded Nigerians abroad to acquire useful vocational skills.
Dambazau further facilitated a regional conference in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission for the implementation of the ECOWAS Protocol on Transhumance, aimed at monitoring and regulating cross-border pastoral movements. He also introduced the Ministry of Interior Games to strengthen inter-agency cooperation, coordination, and collaboration.
Among his forward-looking initiatives was the proposal for local production of Nigerian international passports to reduce costs and safeguard national data integrity. He equally conceptualised the establishment of an Institute of Domestic Security for the strategic training of senior officers and created a central situation room for coordinating security and emergency responses among public safety agencies.
Ambassador Dambazau’s contributions have earned him several prestigious honours and recognitions. He is a Fellow of the Society for Peace Studies, University of Ibadan; Senior Fellow, Centre for Peace, Democracy and Development, University of Massachusetts, USA; and recipient of the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR). He has also received the Akrah Hall Distinguished Award of the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College and the Health and Human Services Award from Kent State University, Ohio, among numerous others.
With this vast reservoir of military, academic, administrative, and political experience, many Nigerians believe Ambassador Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau is well-positioned to strengthen Nigeria-China relations and add immense value to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
*Fatai Ibrahim
Global Chairman, Prolific Writers Projects
Distinguished Member, Alumni Faculty of Law, Gen. Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja.
Contact: 08164946221
Email: fataiib5@gmail.