Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara has appointed retired Brig.-Gen. Saliu Tunde Bello, former military administrator of Kebbi and Aliyu Muyideen, an intelligence and counter-terrorism expert, as Special Adviser and Senior Special Assistant on Security Matters.
A statement on Thursday by Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said the governor also appointed Adekunle Dunmade, a Professor of Otolaryngology and Director of the University of Ilorin Stem Cell Research Centre, as his Special Adviser on Health Matters.
Ajakaye quoted the governor as saying that the assemblage of a crack security team was to ensure a safe environment for more investments in the state.
“Brig.-Gen. Bello, who hails from Erin Ile in Oyun Local Government area, was military administrator of Kebbi State between 1993 and 1996.
“He was a colonel general staff for the Nigerian Contingent in Liberia, and former chief instructor at Military School in Zaria between 1988 and 1992, among others.
“He attended the Nigerian Military School, Zaria, Mons Officer Cadet School Alder shot, England and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army in 1971. He retired in 1999,” the governor said.
He added that Aliyu Muyideen, who retired as principal staff officer operations (DSS), had a master’s degree in Peace and Strategic Studies from the University of Ilorin, where he had earlier bagged a Bachelor of Arts in History.
The governor said that Muyideen hails from Ilorin and had trainings in advance investigation, intelligence analysis, counter-terrorism, advance vetting, explosive ordinance, and detective basics, among others.
According to him, Dunmade, who hails from Ifelodun, replaces Prof. Wale Sulaiman, who is leaving his cabinet to pursue his long-time career in global health and non-health sectors.
“While this is strictly a personal passion of Prof. Suleiman, our doors remain open to him and other great minds like him in our commitments to rebuild a Kwara we would all be proud of.
“Indeed, the government will continue to consult Suleiman on relevant aspects of our policy direction as an administration.
“The state government acknowledges the many positive contributions of Suleiman and the great strides he achieved together with others in the development of our health sector, including the campaign against the COVID-19 pandemic,” AbdulRazaq said.
He said Dunmade, an expert in the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) medicine, had over 48 publications in local and international journals in his field of study.
