Umar Farouk Ahmed

Who is Umar Farouk Ahmed?

Colonel Umar Farouk Ahmed was Military Administrator of Cross River State, Nigeria during the military regime of General Sani Abacha. He was then appointed administrator of Kaduna State in August 1998 during the transitional regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, handing over power to the elected civilian governor Ahmed Markarfi in May 1999. Shortly after, he was retired by the Federal Government, along with all other former military ministers, governors and administrators.

Ahmed graduated from the Nigeria Defense Academy and the University of Jos, where he obtained an Advanced Diploma in Public Administration. He was commissioned in the army in 1976 as a platoon Battery Commander. Subsequent posts were Military Assistant, General Staff Personnel Training Army Head Quarters, Academy Adjutant and Commanding Officer S.S Wing.

In Cross River, his administration was said to be "most inept". When leaving Kaduna, Ahmed handed over a debt N400 million to his successor, who refused to honor any of his commitments. The Kaduna State House of Assembly resolved to probe his tenure based on allegations of looting. In April 2001, he was one of 16 former military administrators who announced the creation of an association called the United Nigeria Development Forum.