Police Affairs Minister give reasons why Buhari extends IGP tenure

By Ovasa Ogaga,

Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammad Dingyadi, on Thursday, gave reasons why the President Muhammadu Buhari, decided to extend the tenure of Mohammed Adamu as the Inspector-General of Police for three months.

The minister disclosed this in an interview with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the extension was “to allow for a robust and efficient process of appointing a new IGP.”

It would be recalled that the current IGP Adamu’s tenure ought to have expired on Monday, February 1^st, 2021 when he attained 35 years in service.

Instead of naming a replacement so that the IGP could hand over, the President and the Presidency kept mum on the matter.

Adamu has remained at his duty post since Monday, fuelling speculation that his tenure could have been ‘secretly’ extended.

The situation made a lawyer, Maxwell Okpara, asks a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop Adamu from parading himself as the IGP forthwith.

Justifying the three-month extension, however, Dingyadi said it was meant to ensure that the right officer was appointed to replace Adamu.

The Minister said, “Mr President has decided that the present IGP, Mohammed Adamu, will continue to serve as the IG for the next three months to allow for a robust and efficient process of appointing a new IGP.

“This is not unconnected to the desire of Mr President to not only have a smooth handover but to also ensure that the right officer is appointed into that position.

“Mr President is extending by three months to allow him to get into the process of allowing a new one.”

When reminded that the situation has caused a lacuna in the system, the Minister said, “There is no lacuna. Mr President can decide to extend his tenure for three months.”

 

The PUNCH