Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum on Thursday appointed a retired army general, Abdullahi Ishaq, as his adviser on security.
The governor announced the appointment on Friday through a statement by his spokesperson, Isa Gusau.
Mr Ishaq, according to the statement, is from Kwara State and commanded a unit in the Operation Lafiya Dole theatre command before he retired from the army in January.
His appointment came as a surprise to many in Borno because the governor had earlier appointed a Borno State-born retired colonel, Abubakar Chiroma, as his security adviser.
Mr Chiroma, son of a former labour leader, Ali Chiroma, is a Kanuri indigene of Borno.
The state government did not clarify in the statement whether Mr Chiroma has been relieved of his duty before his colleague, Mr Ishaq, a Yoruba from Kwara, was brought in.
Mr Gusau’s statement simply announced that Governor Zulum “has approved the appointment of retired Brigadier General Abdullahi Sabi Ishaq, as special adviser on security affairs.”
The statement added that “Zulum believes that General Ishaq, who will soon be sworn-in as special adviser on security, will be coming with huge operational experience, relationship with serving military and other armed forces involved in the fight against Boko Haram and a good understanding of Borno’s communities, people and cultures.
“The Governor congratulates the retired general and looks forward to working closely with him in the shared and continued determination to bring an end to the insurgency,” the statement said.
