Introduction
The just announced extension of the tenure and reappointment of the Lafia, Nassarawa State-born retired 20th Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, is patently and outrightly unconstitutional, illegal, and even immoral. Adamu had already served Nigeria for a 35 whopping years when his tenure expired on 1st February, 2021, by effluxion of service years in accordance with extant laws. He had given his very best, which though hardly above average, was miles apart, and far better than the better forgotten service years of his disastrous and highly political and politicised Niger State â born predecessor, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris.
Adamu duly retired on 1st February, 2021. He was born on 17th September, 1961. He had enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in 1986, after graduating with a B.Sc in Geography from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. He also holds a Masters Degree in International Criminal Justice System from the University of Portsmouth, UK. From his position as AIG, Zone 5, Benin City, he was made the IGP. Upon appointment, many Police Officers who were senior to Adamu, but who had become junior by virtue of his new rank of IGP, were forced to retire. They were seven DIGs, and many AIGs. During the appointment of Adamuâs predecessor, IGP Ibrahim Idris Kpotun, 22 highly trained Senior Officers of the rank of DIGs and AIGs, who were senior to him, were compulsorily retired. I am told this wastage of experience, resources, training, energy, retraining, etc, is the tradition. Incredible, I dare say. Is Adamu the only qualified Nigerian to be the IGP in a country of over 208 million people (UNO, June, 2020), to have his term extended? Didnât the President and the Presidency know very well before now that his term was due to expire by effluxion of time on 1st February? Why was this self-imposed and needless simulated sense of urgency, that is now also listed in the fire brigade approach for which this government has become famous? This extension of Adamuâs tenure, is patently unconscionable and unfair to servicing Police Officers who legitimately look forward to occupying the now vacant position of IGP.