IGP Baba tenure extended, not retiring now – Police minister

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Alkali, will remain office beyond the 2023 general elections, the Federal Government has declared.

Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi, made this clarification on Wednesday in reaction to rumours of plans to retire the IGP before the February 25 presidential election.

The minister spoke with newsmen after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja.

Dingyadi said the IGP would not be retiring midway into the general elections as earlier expected as his tenure had been extended by the President.

The minister explained that the Police Act 2020 has changed the rules for an IG’s retirement.

Answering questions from newsmen on whether or not the IG would be retiring 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 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 Baba as the acting IGP in April 6, 2021 while the Police Council confirmed him as the substantive IGP in June 2021.

There had been concerns over the expected retirement of IGP Baba, 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.