President Bola Tinubu has confirmed the appointments of new coordinators for the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
The announcement was made by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Ngelale announced that Maj.-Gen. Adamu Garba Laka is the new coordinator for the NCTC, and retired DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo is appointed for the NCCSALW, both positions under the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The presidential spokesperson highlighted that Laka has a distinguished service record in the North-East, effectively employing tactical strategies against terrorist factions.
Additionally, Laka’s international service includes assignments in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo with the United Nations, as well as participation in the US AFRICOM exercise in Senegal as part of the Nigerian delegation.
He holds Master’s degrees in National Security from the National Defence University, Pakistan, and in International Affairs and Strategic Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy.
Ngelale stated that Kokumo is a seasoned and accomplished law enforcement professional with over 30 years of experience in crime prevention, management, analysis, and control.
He mentioned that Kokumo served as the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, from 2022 to 2023.
Ngelale expressed that the President expects the new appointees to leverage their extensive experience in these pivotal roles to effectively neutralize security threats through preemptive, proactive, and diligent coordination.
