Tinubu appoints new national coordinator for national counter-terrorism centre

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President Bola Tinubu has appointed Maj-Gen. Adamu Laka as the new National Coordinator for the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, operating under the purview of the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Laka steps into the shoes of Rear Admiral Musa (retd.), who was initially appointed as the inaugural Coordinator by former President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2022.

The announcement of Laka’s appointment was made by the Presidency on Tuesday through a statement issued by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.

The statement, titled ‘President Tinubu appoints new national coordinator for national counter-terrorism centre,’ outlined Laka’s extensive background in various roles within Nigeria’s North-East region.

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Laka’s experience extends beyond Nigeria’s borders, having served in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo under the United Nations. Additionally, he was part of the Nigerian contingent in the US AFRICOM exercise in Senegal.

Educationally, Laka holds a Master’s Degree in National Security from the National Defence University, Pakistan, and in International Affairs and Strategic Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy.

President Tinubu expressed confidence in Laka’s ability to utilize his wealth of experience in tackling security threats efficiently through preemptive, proactive, and diligent counter-terrorism coordination.

The National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) was established in 2012 as a directorate within the Office of the National Security Adviser, following the enactment of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011, later amended in 2013.

Former President Buhari, on March 21, 2023, inaugurated the NCTC’s new headquarters in Abuja, emphasizing its significance as a key infrastructural legacy for subsequent administrations to enhance national security and counterterrorism endeavors.