REPLACING THE OUT-GOING INSPECTOR-GENERAL IN LINE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE POLICE ACT, 2020: SUSPENSE OVER WHO BECOMES NEXT POLICE IG AS ABUBAKAR ADAMU, OTHERS RETIRE.
It is now very clear that the present Inspector-General of Police (IGP) is set to bow out of the Force on 1st February, 2021 in line with the provision of Section 18 (8) of the Police Act, 2020 which states thus “Every Police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for a period of 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier”. The section under reference brings the Police Force into an era of predictability just like the Civil Service Rule as the provision is mandatory, fixed like the rock of Gibraltar and cannot be moved willy-nilly.
The development has led to serious tension in the force over who takes over the mantle of leadership from Abubakar or whether Adamu’s tenure will be extended by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The IGP’s dilemma is shared by three Deputy Inspectors-General of Police and 10 Assistant Inspectors-General of Police who are due for retirement with him on Monday.
The DIGs are Aminchi Samaila Baraya; Ibrahim A. Lamorde and Nkpa N. Inakwu.
The affected Assistant Inspectors-General of Police are Mohammad A. Mustapha; AIG Jonah Jackson; Olushola Babajide David; Yunana Y. Babas; Asuquo A.A. Amba; Nkereuwem Akpan; Olafimihan Adeniran Adeoye; Agunbiade O. Labore; Undie Adie; and Olugbenga Adeyanju.
A top source, who spoke in confidence, told the Nation that: “We are all in suspense because the President has the prerogative to extend the tenure of the IGP as he did for some of the retired Service Chiefs, the Comptroller-General of Immigration and the immediate past Comptroller-General of Nigerian Correctional Service.
We are also not sure if the President will extend the tenure of the three affected DIGs and 10 AIGs. We are waiting for an announcement from the presidency.
“Even the IGP is not too confident of what will be the decision of the President. He is busy putting finishing touches to some signature projects while awaiting Buhari’s position.
There were also rumours of an assurance already given to IGP that he will spend extra one year in office based on his performance.
“What is clear is that while some power brokers have been lobbying for the extension of IGP’s tenure by one year to complete the ongoing police reforms, some AIGs are also pushing hard to replace him.
“Those opposed to the extension of tenure alleged that one year cannot make any significant change in the Nigeria Police Force.”
Another source said: “Some people claimed that a major challenge of the Nigeria Police is the recurring retirement of experienced hands.
“But no one can change it because the law says you are either 60 years old or 35 years on the job. I think we are going through a strange experience of tenure extension. Politics is creeping into police and military service.
“Assessing Nigerian Police, some foreign powers had opposed the nation’s bid for the President of International Police (INTERPOL) in December 2020. So, it depends on which side of the divide you
The most astounding aspect of the legal framework reform is that the current IGP could have opted to focus on other things and then seek tenure elongation, since the present government seems to dish out such like dinner, but he didn’t and instead placed the overall interest of the Police over and above personal interest.
Apart from the certainty of duration in service, another novel but more important provisions in the Police Act, 2020 is the creation of what I refer to as FIXED TERM OF SERVICE for the Inspector-General. One of the biggest challenges for the Nigeria Police Force is the incessant brief tenure of its topmost leader – the Inspector-General. Since this Democratic dispensation, it is not possible to point out a single Inspector-General of Police who was able to set out an agenda for the Police and achieved 30% of such a vision due to the limitation of time before retirement. That, in the past, saw some Inspector-Generals considering their appointment as an opportunity to prepare for retirement, instead of developing the institution. Others, who desired to leave a mark behind, attempted to have their services retained by the Government through extension, which is unconstitutional.
However, by inserting section 7 (6) in the Police Act, 2020, the National Assembly agreed with the vision of the current IGP that whoever is to be appointed into the office of the Inspector-General of Police shall have the privilege of formulating policies and implementing same within a reasonable time. The creation of a MANDATORY TENURE for the Inspector-General of Police in the 2020 Act is a positive step towards the professionalization of the Police.
According to Section 7 (6) of the Police Act, 2020 provides thus: “The person appointed to the office of the Inspector-General of Police shall hold office for four years”. Thereby setting the entire police top echelon in a race of wits and subterfuge in a bid to cross the legal hurdle set by this section of the Act.
The names of all the Deputy Inspector-Generals of Police and the Assistant Inspector-Generals with due dates for retirement from the force. This will help readers to ascertain which of them has the requisite 4 mandatory years for the tenured office of the Inspector-General.
The due date for the retirement of the IGP is already a settled matter as it is February 1st, 2021. Therefore, the others are as follows:
DEPUTY INPECTOR-GENERALS
i. DIG Aminchi Samaila Baraya ——————01/02/2021——- 4 days
ii. DIG Sanusi Nma Lemu —————————- 31/01/2023—- less than 3 years.
iii. DIG Usman Alkali Baba ————————— 01/03/2023 — less than 3 years
iv. DIG Nkpa N. Inakwu ——————————- 01/02/2021 —- 4 days
v. DIG Ibrahim Lamorde —————————- 01/02/2021 —– 4 days
vi. DIG David Oyebanji Folawiyo ————— 21/11/2021 —— 10 months
vii. DIG Joseph O. Egbunike ———————— 04/06/2022—- 16 months
viii. DIG Dan-Mallam Mohammed —————- 18/12/2023 —- less than 3 years.
ASSISTANT INSPECTOR-GENERALS
i. AIG Tijani Baba ———————————– 06/10/2021 —— 8 months
ii. AIG Mohammad Mustafa—————— 01/02/2021 ——– 4 days
iii. AIG Zanna Mohammed Ibrahim —– 26/11/2022 ——– less than 2 years
iv. AIG Moses Ambakina Jitoboh ——– 10/06/ 2029 —— more than 8 years
v. AIG Jonah Jackson Mava —————- 01/02/2021 ——– 4 days
vi. AIG Olusholla Babajide David ——– 01/02/2021 ——– 4 days
vii. AIG Ahmed Iliyasu —————————- 27/05/2021 ——- 4 months
viii. AIG Zaki M. Ahmed ————————- 15/02/2022 ——- 1 year two weeks
ix. AIG Gwandu Haliru Abubakar ——- 01/02/2022 ——- 1 year 4 days
x. AIG Zama Bala Senchi ——————— 05/10/2022 —— 1 year 8 months
xi. AIG Bello A. Sadiq —————————- 20/10/2022 —— 1 year 8 months
xii. AIG Austin Iwero Agbonlahor ——- 30/08/2021 —— 6 months 4 days
xiii. AIG Lawan Ado ——————————— 27/03/2021 —– 2 months
xiv. AIG Dandaura Mustapha —————- 15/01/2023 ——- less than 3 years
xv. AIG Asuquo A.A. Amba ——————- 01/02/2021 ——- 4 days
xvi. AIG Nkereuwem A. Akpan ———— 01/02/2021 ——– 4 days
xvii. AIG Olafimihan Adenira Adeoye – 01/02/2021 ——– 4 days
xviii. AIG Agunbaide O. Lasore ————– 01/02/2021 ——— 4 days
xix. AIG Undie J. Adie —————————- 01/02/2021 ——— 4 days
xx. AIG Olugbenga Adeyanju ————– 01/02/2021 ——— 4 days
xxi. AIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo- 15/03/2023 ——– less than 3 years
xxii. AIG Ajani Olasupo Babatunde —— 15/06/2021 ——— 5 months
xxiii. AIG Awunah N. Donald —————— 15/03/2023 ——– less than 3 years
xxiv. AIG Hafiz Mohammed Inuwa ——– 21/03/2024 ——- 3 years 2 months
xxv. AIG Garba Baba Umar ——————— 15/05/2023 —— less than 3 years
xxvi. AIG Isaac Olutayo Akinmoyede —– 15/03/2023 ——- less than 3 years.
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