By: Akinloye NG.
IGP Adamu is retiring on the 01/02/2021 pursuant to Section 18 (8) of the Police Act, 2020.
For possible replacement in accordance with Section 7 (2) of the Police Act 2020 which provides that: “The person to be appointed as Inspector-General of Police shall be a senior police officer not below the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police with the requisite academic qualification of not less than a first degree or its equivalent, in addition to professional or management experience.” makes the appointment open to the DIGs and the AIGs.
Going further, the Section 7 (6) of the selfsame Act also provides thus: “The person appointed to the office of the Inspector-General of Police shall hold office for four years”, which pegs the tenure of the police chief not only as four years but also pegs years to retirement either by age or service of such appointee to be four years and above.
Among all the current DIGs and AIGs the following are the qualified:
1. Dasuki Danbappa Galadanchi (Kano, Northwest – retiring 2025);
2. Habu Sani Ahmadu (Sokoto, Northwest – retiring 2025); and
3. Moses Ambakina Jitoboh (Bayelsa, South South – retiring 2029)
Though the Police Act 2020 (as amended) has Fixed Term of Service and Mandatory Tenure for the IGP, anything can still happen albeit illegally to extend IGP Adamu’s tenure.
From the above, AIG Galandachi could also be said to be in an advantageous position to become the acting IGP and later the IGP, as picking either Ahmadu or Jitoboh will automatically retire all the seniors above.
