By Dare Akogun
President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the tenure of the Inspector General (IG) of Police, Usman Alkali Baba. The extension, which was contained in a letter to the relevant authorities, put paid to speculations about his likely retirement before the general election, starting February 25.
Speculations had been rife that Baba might retire before the elections, but Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi, clarified the issues yesterday while speaking to newsmen after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at State House, Abuja.
Dingyadi said the IG would not be retiring midway into the general election, as earlier expected, as his tenure had already been extended by Buhari.
The minister explained that the Police Act 2020 had changed the rules for the IG’s retirement.
Answering questions from newsmen on whether or not the IG would retire after clocking the mandatory retirement age of 60 years on March 1, 2023, Dingyadi said, “I don’t know where you got your record, but let me say that by the provisions 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 letter of appointment in that regard. So, the issue of IG going out during this election period does not arise.
Buhari appointed the then Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Baba as the acting Inspector General of Police on April 6, 2021, while the Police Council confirmed him as the substantive Inspector General of Police in June 2021.
