The British borders and immigration watchdog, David Neal, has been sacked after he “lost the confidence of the Home Secretary,” the Home Office said.

Mr Neal “breached” the terms of his appointment and was informed his time in post was being immediately terminated on Tuesday, according to the government department.

It comes after Mr Neal and the Home Office became embroiled in a public row about concerns he was raising over security checks at airports.

Britain’s opposition Labour Party branded the move “total Tory chaos on borders and immigrations.’’

A Home Office spokesman said in a statement, “We have terminated the appointment of David Neal, the independent chief inspector of Borders and Immigration, after he breached the terms of appointment and lost the confidence of the Home Secretary.

The planned recruitment process for the next independent chief inspector of Borders and Immigration is in progress.”

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said a series of Conservative home secretaries had “sought to bury uncomfortable truths revealed by the chief inspector about our broken borders, and shockingly they are still sitting on 15 unpublished reports – stretching back to April last year”, adding: “The Home Secretary must now publish those reports in full.

“The Conservatives have lost control of our borders, are seeking to hide the truth, and are putting border security at risk.”

Mr Neal, whose tenure was due to end on March 21, said it was too soon to comment on the decision when contacted by the PA news agency.

Earlier, Immigration Minister Tom Pursglove told the House of Commons the Home Office “categorically rejects” claims that hundreds of high-risk flights landed in the UK without security checks.

Pursglove disputed warnings made by Mr Neal, who the Daily Mail reported had received Home Office data showing UK Border Force failed to check the occupants of hundreds of private jets arriving at London City airport.

Responding to an urgent question from Labour in the Commons, Pursglove, who is the Home Office’s minister for legal migration, said, “When it comes to the questions that she raises around these flights at London City airport and the information that has been put in the public domain, the Home Office categorically rejects these claims by David Neal.”

Cooper said ministers had been “repeatedly warned about border security risks on private flights,” telling lawmakers: “The Prime Minister may just think it’s all his own mates, but there are real risks from organised crime, money laundering, drugs, weapons smuggling, trafficking and even terrorism.”

Pursglove insisted Border Force performed “checks on 100 per cent of scheduled passengers arriving in the UK and risk-based intelligence-led checks on general aviation,” adding: “It’s deeply disturbing that information which has no basis in fact was leaked by the independent chief inspector to a national newspaper before the Home Office had the chance to respond.

“We are urgently investigating this breach of confidential information in the normal way.”

He said Mr Neal’s report was submitted to the Home Office last week and underwent fact checking as was “standard practice”, adding: “Mr Neal was made aware of a specific issue in the recording of data at London City airport which meant that a large proportion of flights recorded as high-risk should have been reclassified as low-risk, and it’s disappointing that he’s chosen to put misleading data into the public domain.”

Pursglove also told lawmakers, “The security of the UK border is a top priority for me, for the Home Secretary and for the Home Office. Everything we do in this area is designed to reduce risks to this country and its citizens.”

The Home Office’s “priority is to deliver a safe and secure border, and we will never compromise on this,” he added.

The Body Shop is set to shut down nearly half of its 198 UK shops after the cosmetics chain fell into administration last week.

It will also cut around 270 head office jobs as part of a heavy restructuring.

Administrators for the business said seven of its shops will shut their doors for good on Tuesday.

It confirmed the closure of its stores at Surrey Quays London, Oxford Street London, Canary Wharf London, Cheapside London, Nuneaton, Ashford Town Centre Kent and Queens Road Bristol.

Administrators for FRP Advisory said in a statement: “After years of unprofitability and following a full evaluation of The Body Shop’s UK business, the joint administrators have concluded that the current store portfolio mix is no longer viable.

“This swift action will help re-energise The Body Shop’s iconic brand and provide it with the best platform to achieve its ambition to be a modern, dynamic beauty brand that is able to return to profitability and compete for the long term.”

The Nigeria Customs Service has disclosed that it will distribute seized food items to Nigerians to ease their insufferable situations.

According to a statement on Tuesday by customs spokesman Abdullahi Maiwada, the distribution will be done after all the food items have been certified fit for human consumption.

The plan by the comptroller general of customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for the service to distribute the seized food items to Nigerians was in response to the ongoing critical challenges of food security and the soaring prices of food items in the country, said the statement.

It stated that the proposed move by Mr Adeniti was a reaffirmation of his commitment to advancing President Bola Tinubu’s food security agenda, serving the best interests of Nigerians, and fostering economic stability and prosperity.

“Furthermore, to alleviate the hardships faced by Nigerians and improve access to essential food items, the Nigeria Customs Service will facilitate the direct disposal of food items forfeited to the federal government,” the statement explained.

“These items will be certified fit for consumption by relevant agencies and made available to ordinary Nigerians nationwide through equitable distribution in our areas of operations.”

It added, “The modalities for the disposal will be communicated through NCS formations nationwide, with a firm commitment to transparency, fairness, and public safety. It is our pledge that this exercise will be managed diligently to ensure that the benefits reach those most in need.

“The NCS remains resolute in its dedication to safeguarding the nation’s food security and advancing the economic well-being of all Nigerians. With the unwavering support and cooperation of the public, we will surmount these challenges and pave the way for a more prosperous future for our beloved nation.”

The Katsina Police Command has confirmed the killing of six persons by bandits in an attack on the Faskari Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s police public relations officer (PPRO), ASP Abubakar Aliyu, confirmed the killing in a statement on Tuesday.

He said 10 people were also injured in the attack in Nasarawa Village on Sunday.

“On February 19, at about 11:30 p.m., some suspected armed bandits in their numbers, armed with dangerous weapons such as AK-47 rifles, attacked Nasarawa village, Faskari Local Government Area.

“They shot and killed six persons, injured 10, and set ablaze three houses and about 10 vehicles,” he said.

Mr Abubakar added that the commissioner of police in the state, CP Aliyu Musa, had since deployed the command’s tactical, operational and intelligence operatives to the scene.

He said the operatives were combing the surrounding bushes for the possible arrest of the perpetrators.

The early morning flood on Tuesday in Command and Ipaja communities in Lagos impacted about 151 houses.

Ibrahim Farinloye, Lagos Territorial Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, said this in a statement.

Farinloye said preliminary assessments in some communities affected by the rainfall showed that residents were evacuated from 23 houses at Oke Ishagun.

He said 35 houses were affected at Isale Aboru, 29 houses at Ikola Community and 15 houses at Olubodun Majiyagbe-Ajayi.

Also affected were 12 houses on Makinde Street, 16 houses on Olokowo Street, and 21 houses on Adeola Street, among others.

Farinloye, who said NEMA was working with appropriate state MDAs to ameliorate the effect of the flood on residents, added that Lagos State had promised to make the state safer for residents.

He said Tuesday’s excessive downpour is a strong signal of what to expect with the outset of 2024 rainfall.

He said it was important to imbibe disaster risk reduction strategies.

“We must begin to adhere to safety measures against flood disasters. Thanks be to God that no life was lost and no one was injured,” Farinloye said.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Habib Ahmed, has appealed to Nigerians to start clearing their drainages and desilting them.

Ahmed urged Community Development Associations, CDAs, to be alive to their responsibility by coordinating the activities of neighbourhoods towards safer environments.

He appealed to local government authorities to sanction corporate organisations for blocking drainages around their offices.

He added that residents dumping refuse in drainages should be prosecuted for blockage of drainages, dumping of refuse in drainages as envisaged in environmental laws to save society.

The director-general expressed his support to the Lagos State government for its bold decision after the 2023 rainy season, when it pulled down structures obstructing drainages across the state.

He urged other state governments to emulate Lagos State by taking bold steps towards making the environment safer.

The victim, Mr. Olabode Olawuyi, a veterinary technologist at Obafemi Awolowo University, was said to have been in charge of the Zoological Garden for over a decade.

The PR Officer of the university, Abiodun Olarewaju, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday.

He said, “Mr. Olawuyi has been taking care of the lions since they were born on campus about 9 years ago, but, tragically, the male lion killed the man who had been feeding them.

The other members of staff who were at the scene of the incident did everything within their power to rescue their boss, but the wild cat had already caused severe fatalities. Saddened by this tragic event, the aggressive lion has been euthanized.”

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, on Monday sealed the Priesthood Orphanage in Karon Majigi village, Abuja.

This came after the FCTA rescued about 23 children between the ages of one and 14 from the facility.

It was gathered that the children were allegedly trafficked from Plateau.

The Mandate Secretary, Women Affairs Secretariat, FCTA, Mrs Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi made the revelation while handing over the children to Plateau Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Caroline Dafur, in Abuja.

Benjamins-Laniyi noted that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had authorised the secretariat to profile and recertify all orphanages operating within the territory.

“Using this as an example, one of the first things I have done is to get approval for the recertification of orphanage homes in Abuja.

“The Minister has approved that there will be a full thorough reprofiling and recertification of anything that has to do with orphanages in Abuja,” she said.

The mandate secretary said that the secretariat was already working with Dafur to reunite the children with their families.

She added that some of the children had been in the uncertified orphanage since 2019.

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly (NSHA) has called on the State Government to declare a state of emergency on Hepatitis and other deadly diseases.

This is following a motion sponsored by Musa Abubakar Ibrahim (NNPP, Doma South) during plenary in Lafia on Monday.

Ibrahim lamented the high mortality rate in his constituency, stating that twenty-eight persons had died as a result of Hepatitis from October 2023 to date.

He urged the government to take urgent action to address the situation and improve healthcare in rural areas where facilities were in poor condition.

“Mr Speaker and my colleagues, there is a serious health problem in my constituency as twenty-eight (28) people have died of hepatitis from October to date.

“Hepatitis is killing my people and something needs to be done to curtail it. I beg that the government should tackle this problem, we should come up with a strong committee to address this issue.

“Go to rural areas and see, our health facilities are in bad shape,” Ibrahim lamented.In response to the motion, the House urged the state Ministry of Health to deploy experts to the affected communities to assess the situation and take necessary action.

The Speaker of the House, Hon. Danladi Jatau directed the State Government to declare a state of emergency on hepatitis and other deadly diseases, stating that such a declaration would help in curbing the spread of the disease and improving the health status of the people.

The Speaker further instructed the Clerk of the House to communicate the resolutions to Governor Abdullahi Sule for necessary action.

Daniel Ogah Ogazi and other lawmakers, who contributed to the motion, stated the need for the government to prioritize the elimination of hepatitis and other deadly diseases in the state, particularly by ensuring access to treatment.

The Federal Government says it will give more attention to fixing roads and seek some remedies on the cost of gas and import duties to bring down the astronomical price of cement nationwide.

This is part of the communiqué issued during a meeting between the government and the major cement manufacturers on Monday in Abuja.

Senator David Umahi, Minister of Works and his counterpart, Minister of Trade and Investment, Mrs Doris Uzoka-Anite and the three major cement manufacturers – Dangote Plc, BUA Plc and Lafarge Plc signed the communiqué.

According to the document, the government took note of the challenges enumerated by the manufacturers, which include cost of gas, high import duty on spare parts, bad road network, high foreign exchange and smuggling of cement to neighbouring nations.

The meeting concluded that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment would seek some remedies from President Bola Tinubu on the cost of gas and import duties.

The Federal Ministry of Works would give more attention to fixing the roads, especially around the locations of the manufacturers.

On cement smuggling, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment was to deepen the engagement with the National Security Adviser on how to stop the menace.

The meeting also agreed that the current high price of cement was abnormal in some locations nationwide.

Julian Assange is set to make his final bid for a domestic appeal against a judge’s ruling over his extradition from the United Kingdom to the United States.

The WikiLeaks founder is wanted in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Mr Assange should not be sent to the U.S., citing a real and “oppressive” risk of suicide, while ruling against the 52-year-old on all other issues.

U.S. authorities subsequently brought a successful challenge against this decision, paving the way for Mr Assange’s extradition.

Lawyers for Mr Assange, who has been held in Belmarsh prison in south-east London, will now ask the High Court in London for the go-ahead to challenge the original judge’s dismissal of other parts of his case against extradition.

The hearing comes after High Court Judge Justice Swift first refused to give Mr Assange the green light to appeal – without a hearing – last June.

A two-day hearing is now set to begin on Tuesday, which is expected to be Mr Assange’s final chance to be granted an appeal in a UK court.

Speaking at a news conference last week, his wife Stella Assange said that if the appeal bid is unsuccessful, Mr Assange would apply to the European Court of Human Rights for a Rule 39 order to stop extradition while it considers his case.

His supporters say the Australian national faces 175 years in prison if extradited.

During their earlier successful challenge, lawyers for the U.S. authorities said Judge Baraitser’s decision risked becoming a “trump card” for anyone who wanted to oppose their extradition.

They also said that four “binding” diplomatic assurances had been made, including that the U.S. would consent to Mr Assange being transferred to Australia, where he was born, to serve any prison sentence he may be given.

The two-day hearing before Dame Victoria Sharp and Justice Johnson is due to begin at 10.30am on Tuesday.

At the start of his Latin American trip to Cuba, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed the intention of closer economic relations with the economically hard-hit island state.

New incentives had recently been created for Russian companies to invest in Cuba, Mr Lavrov said in Havana on Monday.

He met there with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez.

Mr Lavrov is scheduled to meet with head of state Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela on Tuesday before taking part in a meeting of the G20 foreign ministers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Wednesday and Thursday.

Russia is an important political and economic partner for Cuba, which is ruled by the Communist Party and used to depend heavily on the Soviet Union for its economy.

Last May, delegations from the two countries discussed a number of measures to promote Russian investment in Havana, including the opening of Russian bank branches in Cuba, according to Russia.

Mr Lavrov said the volume of trade between the two countries increased ninefold in the first four months of 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year.

Mr Lavrov told state media representatives from both countries on Monday that Russia had already granted Cuba two loans for the supply of oil, petroleum products and food this year.

Both Cuba and Russia are subject to U.S. sanctions.

In addition to Cuba and Nicaragua, Venezuela is also one of the Russian government’s authoritarian, socialist-orientated allies in Latin America.

Mr Lavrov visited all three states and Brazil as recently as April last year. Brazil currently holds the annual rotating presidency of the G20 round of leading economic powers.

The EFCC says it arrested two Chinese nationals and a Nigerian for illegal mining.

Making the disclosure in a statement on its official X handle on Sunday, the anti-graft agency identified the Chinese as Yang Chao and Xiao Jiang while their Nigerian accomplice was identified as Joseph Osuji.

According to the EFCC, 39 year old Messrs Yang, 39, and Osuji, 48, work as a factory manager and machine operator respectively with Cruis Chemical Nigeria Limited in Ogun.

Mr Xiao is an assistant manager at John Odiba Multibiz, also in Ogun.

According to the agency the suspects illegally mined minerals such as marble stone, white powder, lithium and lepidolite, smuggling them out of the country.

The three suspects were also linked to the ownership of the solid minerals conveyed by 41 suspects recently arrested by the EFCC with truckloads of minerals at Share, Banni, Lade, Patigi and Okolowo in Kwara, and Igbeti and Ogbomosho in Oyo.

“Acting on intelligence, the suspects were trailed to their mining sites located at Ogunmakin and Ogere, Ogun state, where they were arrested after days of surveillance,” the EFCC statement said.

At least 64 people have died in an ambush in Papua New Guinea’s remote Highlands region.

The victims were shot dead during a tribal dispute in the Enga province over the weekend, a national police spokesman told the BBC.

The Highlands area has long struggled with violence, but these killings are believed to be the worst in years.

An influx of illegal firearms have made clashes more deadly and fuelled a cycle of violence.

Police started collecting bodies at the scene near the town of Wabag – roughly 600km (373 miles) northwest of the capital Port Moresby.

“This is by far the largest [killing] I’ve seen in Enga, maybe in all of Highlands as well,” Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Acting Supt George Kakas told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

“We’re all devastated, we’re all mentally stressed out. It’s really hard to comprehend.

“Police received graphic videos and photos purporting to be from the scene, showing bodies loaded onto a truck, say media outlets.

Escalating tribal conflict – often over the distribution of land and wealth – led to a three-month lockdown in Enga last July, during which police imposed a curfew and travel restrictions.

In August last year, the violence made international headlines after graphic footage involving three dead men circulated online.

Governor Peter Ipatas told ABC that there had been signs that fighting was about to erupt again ahead of the ambush.

With up to 17 tribes involved in the most recent escalation, it was ultimately up to the security forces to keep the peace, he said.

“From a provincial perspective, we knew this fight was going to be on and we [alerted] the security forces last week to make sure they took appropriate action to ensure this didn’t occur.

“Security more broadly remains a key concern for PNG. The government last month declared a state of emergency after major rioting and looting left at least 15 people dead.

Australia – one of the country’s closest allies – said news of the killings was “very disturbing”.

“We’re providing considerable support, particularly for training police officers and for security in Papua New Guinea,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a radio interview on Monday.

No fewer than seven people are feared dead in an attack by armed bandits who invaded the divisional headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Zurmi town, headquarters of Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

It was gathered that the bandits attacked Zumi on Sunday evening, killing seven persons, including a police officer.

Babangida Zurmi, an indigene of the town, told newsmen that he was yet to speak with any of his relatives as of 9:45 pm.

“As we speak now, I can’t get in touch with anybody in the town, their numbers are switched off. That means the bandits are still around. We need help from relevant authorities,” Zumi said.

Another source from the area said the bandits attacked the town with a mission to revenge the killing of two persons by local vigilante in the area.

According to him, several shops were burnt and the divisional headquarters of the police in Zurmi was also razed.

In another turn of events, another set of bandit groups operating in the Maradun Local Government Area killed four persons and abducted several others.

According to sources, the four persons got killed when the bandits opened fire on the people clearing bushes along the road.

The spokesperson for the police in Zamfara State, Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the attack, stating that he was still gathering information on the Zurmi attack.

The senior special assistant to the president on students engagement, Sunday Asefon has announced the formation of a special committee on campaign against social vices in tertiary institutions.

This he said was a decisive step to address the growing concern of social vices plaguing tertiary institutions across the country.

Mr Asefon disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, he said;

Drug abuse, cultism, cybercrime, sexual harassment, and academic dishonesty among others are some social vices hindering academic performance and personal development of students, according to the statement.

“The formation of the special committee underscores a significant commitment of the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu to safeguard the future of Nigerian students.

“And also the need for a comprehensive and collaborative approach in tackling the menace of social vices in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions,” it said.

The statement noted that the committee was drawn from various stakeholders, renowned educationists, students activists, and patriotic leaders among others.

On the committee for the Eradication of Social Vices in Tertiary Institutions (SESV-TI) are Suleiman Kazaure, former director-general of NYSC, and the deputy vice-chancellor of the Nigerian Army University Biu, as the chairman.

Others are Maxwell Okoye as secretary, Jerry Ugokwe, a professor of Legislative Studies, Chibudom Nwuche, former Reps deputy speaker, ex-Governor Bala Ngilari, ex-FCT minister of state, Ramat Tijjani, the Archbishop of the African Church Abuja, Bishop Peter Ogunmuyiwa, Abubakar Rimi Jnr, Bishop Sunday Onuoha, Timothy Nwachukwu, Ismail Lawanson, Tayyiba Abdulrazak and representatives of security agencies.

The committee’s mandate is to develop and implement comprehensive awareness campaigns, educate students about the dangers of social vices and promote positive values.

The committee will also collaborate with tertiary institution’s administrators to strengthen security measures and implement stricter disciplinary codes.

Ukrainians who came to the UK following the Russian invasion will be able to apply for 18-month extensions to their visas, the government has announced.

Since the invasion, the second anniversary of which is next week, some 200,200 Ukrainians and family members have come to the UK.

New arrivals were granted three years to remain, meaning the first visas were due to expire in March 2025.

It means those on the earliest visas can stay until at least September 2026.

The government said it would provide people with “certainty and stability”.

The extension will apply to all three visa schemes set up following the invasion: the Homes for Ukraine scheme, the Ukraine Family Scheme, and the Ukraine Extension Scheme.

Those on the schemes will continue to have the same rights to access work, benefits, healthcare, and education.

Applications for the extensions will be open from early 2025, and people will be able to apply once they are in the last three months of an existing visa.

Migration minister Tom Pursglove said: “Families across the country have opened their homes and their hearts to the people of Ukraine, showing extraordinary generosity, including offering shelter to those fleeing from the horrors of war.

“The UK will “continue to provide a safe haven for those fleeing the conflict,” he added.

The government also said the extension underlined its “strong belief that Ukraine will be safe again” and the hope of the Ukrainian government that its citizens will “eventually return to the country, when it is safe to do so”.

Eduard Fesko, charge d’affaires at the Ukrainian embassy in the UK, said it was a “clear signal” of the UK’s support for Ukraine, adding: “We appreciate all the help and assistance that our UK friends so generously provide for the temporarily displaced Ukrainians.

“The announcement comes as senior political figures from around the world attend the Munich Security Conference to discuss the biggest global security challenges.

Speaking at the conference on Saturday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky made an urgent appeal for more weapons, saying they would help avoid a “catastrophic” situation in Europe.

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said Britain was “absolutely in the lead” in providing support to Ukraine and urged all of Ukraine’s allies, particularly the US, to maintain their own support.

Republicans in the US Congress are currently refusing to pass a $60bn package of air to Ukraine until more steps are taken to secure the US-Mexico border.

“If you add up our economies, we outmatch Russia 25-to-one,” he said. “We’ve got the ability to give that diplomatic military, economic, moral support. We have just got to make that difference count.”

The Federal Government has announced a 24-hour closure on the Third Mainland Bridge for Iyana Oworonshoki-Lagos Island-bound traffic from midnight on Sunday, February 18 to midnight on Monday, February 19.

Mrs Olukorede Kesha, the Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, said this in a statement on Saturday night.

She said the emergency measure followed the government’s decision to fix an important section of the bridge undergoing comprehensive repairs.

She said motorists coming out of the Island and heading towards Oworonshoki would have full access to the bridge throughout the 24-hour closure.

“Notification of 24-hour Closure of Iyana-Oworonshoki – Lagos Island Bound Traffic From 12.00am on Sunday, February 18th to 12.00 am on Monday, February 19, 2024.

“The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Works wishes to inform the motoring public that the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos will not be available for 24 hours for motorists from Iyana Oworonshoki- Lagos Island bound.

“Traffic resumes on Monday by 12.00 am on this bound.

“However, motorists coming out of the Island and heading towards Oworonshoki will have full access throughout the 24-hour closure.

“The temporary 24 hours closure of the Iyana Oworonshoki- Adeniji Adele bound traffic is to enable the ministry to carry out effective repairs on an important section of the bridge,” she said.

Kesha advised motorists to use alternative routes, obey traffic regulatory officers and be patient with the government as it continued repairs on the important infrastructure.

“Consequent upon the above, Lagos Island Bound Motorists are hereby advised to use alternative routes,” she said.

She listed the alternative routes to include Ojota-Ikorodu Road-Funsho Williams Avenue-Eko Bridge-Apogbon-CMS.

Mohammed Umar Abba, the new Commissioner of Police, posted to the Osun State Command has resumed duties.

This was made known in a statement by the command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola on Friday.

Opalola said CP Umar Abba resumed duties on Friday, February 16, 2024.

She disclosed that CP Umar Abba’s posting to the state was sequel to the recent promotion of the former Commissioner of Police, Bzigu Kwazhi to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police.

According to the statement, CP Umar Abba “was born on June 22, 1965, in Tundun Wada local government area of Kano State.

“The Commissioner of Police is a holder of B.A in Mass Communication from Bayero University, Kano State and did his one year NYSC at the Old Anambra Police Command.

“He was appointed into the Nigeria Police Force in May 1992 as Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (Cadet ASP).

“CP Mohammed Umar Abba has served in various capacities in different States of the country.”

The statement also disclosed that Umar Abba, “was a Sectional Head, Counter Terrorism and General Investigation Section, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Headquarters, Abuja – 2016.

“Deputy Director of Operations Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC- 2016 – 2017.

“Director of Operations, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC – 2017-2020.”

He was also acting Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, between July 2020 through March 2021.

The statement also revealed that, “He is happily married with wonderful children.”

President Bola Tinubu has been appointed the African Union, AU, Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership against the backdrop of his ambitious, innovative, and people-focused efforts in the sector.

This was disclosed in a statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity on Friday.

The Commission of the African Union, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention — Africa CDC, in a letter to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tinubu was appointed on the recommendation of the Committee of Heads of State and Government of Africa CDC, under the leadership of His Excellency, President Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union.

In his new role, the Commission subsequently invited President Tinubu to address the Ministerial Executive Leadership Programme, MELP, under the theme, ‘Impactful leadership in health: a whole government approach’, billed for Saturday, February 17, 2024, at the Africa CDC Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the margins of the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government.