The tenure of Usman Alkali Baba as Inspector-General of Police has been extended by the Federal Government.
This was revealed by the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi, who said that the police boss will not be retiring midway into the general elections as earlier expected.
Dingyadi made the clarification while fielding questions from State House correspondents following the conclusion of the first Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of the year.
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The minister said Baba already had an appointment letter extending his term in office, adding that the Police Act 2020 had changed the rules for an IGP’s retirement.
The IGP will clock 60 years on March 1, 2023, and was expected to honor the rule that mandates public servants to go on retirement at 60 years.
Reacting, the minister 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.”
Daily Report Nigeria recalls that Baba was appointed acting Inspector General of Police on April 6, 2021, by President Muhammadu Buhari before his confirmation as substantive IGP in June 2021.
Meanwhile, there have been concerns over the expected retirement of the IGP, three Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs), many Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), Commissioners of Police (CPs), and 290 other policemen in the first quarter of this year.
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