NATIONAL: Uncertainty in NPF over Adamu’s fate as IGP

PRESIDENT Buhari has remained silent on the fate of the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed .A.Adamu, whose tenure statutorily expires today.

The President had on January 15, 2019, appointed Adamu as acting IGP following the retirement of his predecessor in office, Ibrahim Idris.

Adamu’s appointment was ratified in May by the council members, comprising the President who is the chairman, all state governors, Minister of Interior, Chairman of the Police Service Commission, and the Permanent Secretary of the commission.

Though the IGP is expectated to retire today, having reached the mandatory retirement age, the silence from the president has been fuelling speculation that the tenure of the police boss may be extended.

While Section 18 (8) of the Police Act, 2020 may be invoked in support of the argument that the president could relieve Adamu of his duty, another section empowers him to justify the extension of the IGP’s tenure.

Section 18 (8) states that “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.”

While Section 7 (6) of the Police Act, 2020 states that: “The person appointed to the office of the Inspector-General of Police shall hold office for four years”.

Adamu joined the police force in 1986 and rose through the ranks to become the IGP in 2019 having spent 33 years in service.

Some observers have said extending the tenure of the Police boss will be a strange act, but the president
had set precedent for this by granting the privilege of tenure extension to the immediate past Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Muhammadu Gana, the service chiefs who overstayed in office by five years and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede.

Should Buhari decide to end the tenure of Adamu, following Section 7, subsection 2 of the Police Act clearly stipulates who can be appointed to the office of IGP.

These are the candidates likely to succeed the Police boss.

Current DIGs: Due Retirement Date Service Duration Left

*Aminchi Samaila Baraya 01/02/2021 4 days

Sanusi Nma Lemu 31/01/2023 less than 3 years.

*Usman Alkali Baba 01/03/2023 less than 3 years

*Nkpa N. Inakwu 01/02/2021 4 days

*Ibrahim Lamorde 01/02/2021 4 days

*David Oyebanji Folawiyo 21/11/2021 10 months

*Joseph O. Egbunike 04/06/2022 16 months

Dan-Mallam Mohammed 18/12/2023 less than 3 years

Section 7 subsection 2 of the Police act states: “The person to be appointed as Inspector General of Police shall be a Senior Police Officer not below the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police with the requisite academic qualification of not less than a first degree or its equivalent in addition to professional or management experience.”