Nigeria’s Garba Umar has emerged as the vice-president of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) for Africa.
Gatekeepers News reports that Garba Umar, an Assistant Inspector General of police in Nigeria has been elected as the Vice President of INTERPOL for Africa and is to hold the position for the next three years.
Umar was elected at the 89th INTERPOL General Assembly which was held in Istanbul, Turkey on Thursday.
The AIG who is the head of INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Nigeria, will serve as a member of the executive committee of organisation.
Umar had previously held the position of INTERPOL’s police commissioner in Nigeria.
Police spokesperson, Frank Mba in a statement on Thursday, described the AIG as one of Nigeria’s “finest criminal investigators and professional strategic police managers”.
Mba said Umar would use his wealth of experience in coordinating INTERPOL operations in Africa.
The statement read, “AIG Garba, one of Nigeria’s finest criminal investigators and professional strategic police manager, with over thirty (30) years policing experience both at national and international levels, polled the highest number of votes in the elections. With this appointment, which will span through a period of 3 years.
“AIG Garba is expected to bring his wealth of experience to bear in coordinating INTERPOL operations targeted at ensuring a safer world for people and communities across the African continent.
“This is in addition to drawing international policing support and cooperation towards advancing public safety and security, protecting the cyber space and generally addressing challenges faced by law enforcement officers and policing managers in the continent.”
In reaction to Umar’s election, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said President Muhammadu Buhari “applauded” the development.
