There are indications that the Federal Government is tinkering with a change of guard in the ranks of the police force starting from the IGP. Sources say a new inspector general of police may be announced in February 2021 by the Nigerian Police Council (NPC).
IGP, Mohammed Adamu is expected to retire from the force in febuary 2021 with a slim hope of tenure extension. Adamu, who is the 20th IGP the country has produced, was appointed as the police boss by President Muhammadu Buhari, replacing Ibrahim Idris from Niger state on January 15, 2019.
There are, however, hopes that the Adamu’s tenure may be extended by the president in order to allow him to execute some reforms in the police force. Although President Buhari in his 2021 Nwe Year Broadcast said:
“The year 2021 will indeed be a year where we will work to reinforce the hopes of fellow Nigerians in the vision of a united and progressive Nigeria. This administration would continue focusing on delivering key strategic priorities under our “SEA” – (Security, Economy and Anti-Corruption) Agenda. Some of the key priority areas we would direct our attention and strengths to include:
Re-energizing and reorganizing the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police with a view to enhance their capacity to engage, push back and dismantle the operations of both internal and external extremist and criminal groups waging war against our communities in some parts of the country”.
The president has on many occasions expressed trust and confidence in Ibrahim’s leadership of the force and has shunned demands for the sack of the security chiefs amid myriads of security challenges. Earlier, President Buhari extended the tenure of the comptroller-general of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the commandant-general, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Muhammadu Gana. But should Buhari decide not to extend Adamu’s tenure, many assistant inspector generals of police have been named to take over from where the current IGP ends his tenure.
In a statement on Sunday, December last year signed by Ikechukwu Ani, head, press, and public relations of the Police Service Commission (PSC). He was quoted saying.
“We know that AIG Moses Jitiboh (former Chief Personal Security Officer to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan) still has over five his chances however hangs in the balance. Apart from him, about four other AIGs from the North also have good chances of being appointed.
Ani explained that the decision was taken by the PSC at the 10th plenary meeting on Friday, December 18 2020 and presided over by its chairman IGP Musiliu Smith (RTD).
(C) Control TV 2021.
