Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, will not be retiring when he turns 60 on March 1, 2023, the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi, said on Wednesday.
Dingyadi’s comments followed concerns about the IGP’s possible retirement amidst the 2023 elections.
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Baba turns 60 on March 1, 2023.
Responding to a question on whether or not the IGP would retire at 60 like other civil servants, Dingyadi said,
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.
President Muhammadu Buhari appointed the then-DIG Baba as the acting IGP on April 6, 2021.
Two months later, the Police Council confirmed him as the substantive head of the force.
At least 290 senior officers are expected to retire from service between January and March 2023, findings show.
They include three Deputy Inspectors-General and scores of Assistant Inspectors-General, 10 Commissioners of Police, five Deputy Commissioners of Police, over 20 Assistant Commissioners of Police, more than 35 Chief Superintendents of Police, 47 Superintendents of Police, 55 Deputy Superintendents of Police and 70 Assistant Superintendents of Police.
Dingyadi also revealed that the FEC approved a draft bill for an Act to establish Nigeria Police Force College Training Schools and Institutions.
He said the legislation would only give legal backing to about 20 existing training institutions nationwide rather than build new ones.
The minister argued that the level of corruption in the Nigerian Police had reduced drastically due to the result of the reforms initiated by the Buhari-led regime.
He said the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has been directed to transmit the draft bill to National Assembly for enactment into law.
