President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the tenure of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, for another term in office.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi, disclosed this to State House Correspondents after the first Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of 2023.
He also stated that the police boss would not be retiring midway into the general elections, stressing that he has already gotten a letter of extension.
The minister explained the Police Act 2020 has changed the rules for an IGP’s retirement, adding that the new law makes the tenure of the Police boss a four-year period.
He said: “I don’t know where you got your record but let me say that by the provision of the Police Act 2020, the IG is now supposed to have a kind of four-year period and Mr. President has already given him a letter of appointment in that regard. So the issue of IG going out during this election period does not arise.”
Dingyadi said the FEC approved the draft bill for an Act to establish Nigeria Police Institutions, which he said is to provide legal backing to the existing training institutions across the country and not to build new ones
The minister also stated that the level of corruption within the Nigeria Police has drastically reduced.
CityNews recalls that President Buhari appointed the then DIG Baba as the acting Inspector General of Police on April 6, 2021.
The Police Council confirmed him as the substantive Inspector General of Police on June 2021.
However, there have been speculations lately the Police Chief, who clocks 60 years on March 1, 2023, will honour the Police Act that mandates public servants to go on retirement at 60.
