Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, says President Muhammadu Buhari prerogative on who to appoint as the Inspector General of police cannot be questioned by anyone.
The minister said Buhari is the one who is in charge of appointing or extending tenures, and has now decided to appoint a new person as Acting IGP.
Dingyadi was reacting to a question on why the president did not allow the outgoing IGP, Mohammed Adamu, to complete the three month period of extension of service granted him on February 4.
Responding, Dingyadi said, “The president is aware of this and you cannot take away that responsibility from him; he’s the one who is in charge of appointing or extending tenures. He has now decided to appoint a new person. So, please, allow him that responsibility and we cannot do anything about it”.
He justified the appointment of Usman Alkali Baba as Acting IGP, saying it followed a thorough check of a shortlist of suitably qualified police officers from the rank of DIGs and AIGs eligible for appointment as I-G, in line with Section 7, Sub-section 2 of the Nigeria Police Act (2020).
“The tenure of IGP Mohammed Adamu, which ended on February 1, 2021, was extended by the president to enable a detailed process of appointing a new IG in line with Section 15 (A) of the 1999 Constitution.
After a thorough check of a shortlist of suitably qualified police officers from the rank of DIGs and AIGs, who are eligible police officers, eligible for appointment as IGP in line with Section 7, Sub-section 2”.
