The Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi has said that the inspector General of police, Usman Alkali Baba, cannot proceed on retirement while the country will be embarking on a general election. Dingyadi stated this to newsmen shortly after attending a Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting at the state House, Abuja. He stated this while making clarification on whether the IGP would proceed on retirement while he will clock the mandatory retirement age of 60yer by public officers on 1st march, 2023.
Contrary to the expectation of the general public, the minister disclosed that the police IGP already has an appointment letter from president Buhari renewing his tenure of office, explaining that the new police Act has also changed the rules for the retirement of police IGP.
The information in the public domain is that Alkali Baba would clock the mandatory age of retirement by 1st March which is naturally expected that he honor the office and proceed on retirement as proscribed by law for public servants.
However, reacting to the question, the minister stated that “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.”
IGP Alkali Baba was appointed by President Buhari for the first time on April 6, 2021, and he was confirmed by the police council by June of the same year.
There has been speculation in the media space whether the IGP would proceed with retirement as three of his Deputies (DIGs) and many other Assistants (AIGs), numbering about 290 of the serving police officers would be due for retirement by the first quarter of this year.
The Minister added that FEC has also approved a draft bill for a ct to establish Nigeria Police Institution, saying it would give legal backing to the already existing police institutions spread across the country but devoid of building a new one.
Dingyadi also noted that the level of corruption in the Nigerian police has been drastically reduced through many transformations conducted by the President Buhari administration.