Rights and Freedom Advocates (RIFA) noted that Mohammed Adamu has been Nigerian Inspector General of Police (IGP) since January 15, 2019. Following retirement of his predecessor; IGP Ibrahim Idris.
IGP Adamu, whose record at Nigeria Force has his date of birth as 17 September 1961, enlisted into Nigeria Police force on February 1, 1986 and is expected to bow out of active service on February 1, 2021 when he would clock 35 years in service.
Expectedly, his post would be vacant effective February 1, 2021. As a result, there have been speculation that his tenure may be extended by President Muhammadu Buhari. As done to some other government agencies such as central Bank of Nigeria, Independent National Electoral Commission, Nigeria Ports Authority etc whose leaders’ tenures were renewed.
On the tenure of the IGP, the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is very clear on the appointment and removal of IGP when it says in section 215 (1) (a) that:
“An Inspector-General of Police who, subject to section 216 (2) of this Constitution shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council from among serving members of the Police Force”.
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In addition, section 216(2) provides that:
“Before making any appointment to the office of the Inspector-General of Police or removing him from office the President shall consult the Nigeria Police Council”.
Similarly, Section 7 of Nigeria Police Act 2020 states
“(2) the person to be appointed as Inspector-General of Police shall be a senior police officer not below the rank of an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) with the requisite academic qualifications of not less than a first degree or its equivalent in addition to professional and management experience”;
7(3) also says
“The Inspector General of Police shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Police Council from among serving members of the Police Force. (6) The person appointed to the office of the Inspector-General of Police shall hold office for four years”.
However, Section 18 (8) is explicit on tenure of a police officer when it says
“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”
With the above, the law is very clear on the tenure of a serving IGP and which the President cannot override as the law is superior to occupant of any post in the land. Therefore, those insinuating from some quarters of likely extension of the tenure of the current IGP (Adamu) should acquaint themselves of the legal facts.
The only uncertainty now is that which of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) or AIGs will succeed M.A Adamu as IGP.
In the meantime, the regime of the current IGP (Adamu) witnessed one of the lowest ebb in Nigerian policing with his very low knowledge on operational standards and management skills to the extent that Nigeria Police and Police Service Commission went to court over Police recruitment.
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To the amazement of Nigerians, the Nigeria Police also sued Federal Government for constituting #ENDSARS panels nationwide which the IGP even claimed to be oblivious of.
Could IGP be in charge and his juniors ever tried such?
In fact, the IGP lacked every modicum in sound management as complaints to him directly that should have aided his policy statements yielded no pro-active action making the abnormality persists among rank and file.
As it is now, Nigeria cannot allow the continuity of such lackadaisical leadership whose dereliction of duty degenerated to the last ugly ENDSARS protest that caused the nation colossal losses both in human and material resources.
Besides, the IGP orders have always been ignored by his subordinates who have seen him as lacking administrative competence to supervising a serious Nigeria Police Force that would meet the yearnings of Nigerians. In this regard, allowing him to continue for a day after his constitutionally guaranteed period would amount to extending mediocrity and laxity.
Nigerians, therefore, need a serious Police officer as the next IGP who would restore confidence of Nigerians in the Nation Police Force and restore discipline among the Nation police officers. So, RIFA opine that the government should give Nigerians a pragmatic IGP that would work assiduously like former IGP M.D Abubakar whose tenure witnessed a rebranded and disciplined Police Force.
Luqman Soliu
President,
Rights and Freedom Advocates (RIFA)
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