Tinubu holds first meeting with NSA, new service chiefs, IGP

Tinubu in closed-door meeting with NSA, new service chiefs, IGP

President Bola Tinubu is currently having his first meeting with the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, new service chiefs and the Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Recall that President Tinubu approved the appointment of the new set of security managers two weeks ago.

Tinubu in closed-door meeting with NSA, new service chiefs, IGP

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Meeting With National Security Adviser and New Service Chiefs, at State House, Abuja. (Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan) The NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, is leading the security chiefs and the Acting IGP to the meeting. Among those in attendance are the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Hassan Abubakar, and the Acting IGP, Kayode Egbetokun. Also, recall that Tinubu had sacked the Chief of Defence Staff, all the nation’s Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba Alkali, as well as the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali. He appointed Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser; Maj. Gen. C.G Musa, Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. Gen. T. A Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff; AVM H.B Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff, DIG Kayode Egbetokun, Acting Inspector-General of Police and Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence. President Tinubu also approved the following appointments: Col. Adebisi Onasanya, Commander, Brigade of Guards; Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf, 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja; Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa 177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State; Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim, 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger state; and, Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote, 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja. Similarly, the President has approved the appointments of other Military Officers in the Presidential Villa as follows: Maj. Isa Farouk Audu (N/14695), Commanding Officer, State House Artillery; Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (N/16183), Second-in-Command, State House Artillery; Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (N/14656), Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence; Maj. TS Adeola (N/12860) Commanding Officer, State House Armament; and, Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578), Second-in-Command, State House Armament.

Meet Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s first NSA with no military background since 1999

Meet Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s first NSA with no military background since 1999

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu was on Monday appointed by President Bola Tinubu as National Security Adviser, NSA, making him the first-ever NSA without military background since the return to democratic governance in 1999. Ribadu’s appointment was announced via the Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federal (OSGF) and signed by the Director of Information, Mr Willie Bassey, putting to rest the speculations that the president might consider a non-military person for the position.

Meet Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s first NSA with no military background since 1999

NSA, Nuhu Ribadu Ribadu, who was the first Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will become the third retired police officer after the late Gambo Jimeta and Ismaila Gwarzo to be appointed to the position. The new NSA, born on Nov. 21, 1960, was an intelligence police operative who retired as Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG). He came to the national limelight as a star prosecutor at the Oputa Panel which was created to investigate human rights abuses during the military era. He was later appointed Chairman of the Petroleum Special Revenue Task Force before he became the pioneer Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The EFCC was tasked by the Federal Government to counter corruption and fraud in the country. Ribadu’s pragmatic approach to intelligence gathering and crime-fighting while in EFCC earned him global recognition and awards. His remarkable efforts led to the de-listing of Nigeria from the Financial Action Task Force List of Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories; admission into the prestigious Egmont Group, and the withdrawal of the US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Advisory on Nigeria. Ribadu was a visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development, a TED Fellow, and a Senior Fellow in St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford, UK. Ribadu run for President of Nigeria under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011, and had sought to contest for the governorship of Adamawa on two accessions but missed out during party primaries. NAN

Tinubu sacks IGP Usman Baba, NSA, Service Chiefs, Customs CG

Tinubu sacks IGP Usman Baba Alkali, NSA, Service Chiefs, Customs CG

President Bola Tinubu on Monday sacked the Chief of Defence Staff, all the nation’s Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba Alkali, as well as the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali. This was disclosed in a statement by the Secretary of Government of the Federation SGF, Senator George Akume in Abuja.

Tinubu sacks IGP Usman Baba Alkali, NSA, Service Chiefs, Customs CG

President Bola Tinubu “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the immediate retirement of all Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police, Advisers, Comptroller-General of Customs from Service as well as their replacements with immediate effect”, the SGF stated. The president appointed Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser; Maj. Gen. C.G Musa, Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. Gen. T. A Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff; AVM H.B Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff, DIG Kayode Egbetokun, Acting Inspector-General of Police and Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence. President Tinubu also approved the following appointments: Col. Adebisi Onasanya, Commander, Brigade of Guards; Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf, 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja; Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa 177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State; Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim, 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger state; and, Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote, 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja. Similarly, the President has approved the appointments of other Military Officers in the Presidential Villa as follows: Maj. Isa Farouk Audu (N/14695), Commanding Officer, State House Artillery; Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (N/16183), Second-in-Command, State House Artillery; Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (N/14656), Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence; Maj. TS Adeola (N/12860) Commanding Officer, State House Armament; and, Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578), Second-in-Command, State House Armament. Akume added that the president also approved the appointments of two additional Special Advisers and two Senior Assistants. The appointees are Hadiza Bala Usman, as Special Adviser, Policy Coordination; Hannatu Musa Musawa, Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy; Sen. Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (Senate); and, Hon. (Barr) Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives). “Finally, the President has approved the appointment of Adeniyi Bashir Adewale as the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs. “It is to be noted that the appointed Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Comptroller General of Customs are to act in their positions, pending their confirmation in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, the SGF added.