President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Garba Umar as the Senior Security Adviser on International Police Cooperation and Counter-Terrorism.
The appointment, which takes effect on May 16, falls under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Police Affairs.
AIG Garba Umar currently serves as the Vice-President of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) for Africa and heads the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Nigeria.
Previously, he held the position of INTERPOL’s Police Commissioner in Nigeria. Umar is expected to retire from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) by the end of this month.
In a statement released on Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Garba Shehu highlighted President Buhari’s approval of the appointment, citing the precedent of former executive member AIG Kamal Subair (Rtd), who was retained in service by the federal government of Nigeria after retirement in 2018.
“In approving his appointment, President Buhari took note of a precedent in which a former executive member, AIG Kamal Subair (Rtd) was retained in service by the federal government of Nigeria after retirement in 2018,” the statement reads.
“President Buhari also took note of the fact that during his tenure as a member of the executive committee, AIG Umar assisted Nigeria in many ways, with the hope that in the remaining one year, he will even do more in securing equipment for crimes, border management and counter-terrorism for the country and in helping to get more Nigerians into important positions in the INTERPOL.”
AIG Umar’s appointment will enable him to complete his tenure as the Vice-President of INTERPOL for Africa. Having been elected to the executive committee of INTERPOL in 2021, Umar’s term is set to conclude in 2024.
This strategic appointment by President Buhari reflects the government’s commitment to combating international crime and terrorism while enhancing Nigeria’s global security footprint.
AIG Garba Umar’s extensive experience and leadership within INTERPOL, coupled with his forthcoming retirement from the Nigeria Police Force, position him well to contribute significantly to international police cooperation and counter-terrorism initiatives.
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