By Uche Amunike
Four senior police officers, namely, Dan-Mallam Mohammed, Hafiz Inuwa, Moses Jitiboh and Adeleke Bode, have been compulsorily retired from the Nigerian Police Force by the Police Service Commission (PSC).
Speaking through a statement issued by the PSC spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, he said that the retirement of the officials was necessary because they refused to sign after the appointment of their junior colleague, Kayode Egbetokun, as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP).
According to Mr. Ani, the Commission had expected that as tradition demanded, after the Acting Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun was appointed on June 19th, 2023 by President Bola Tinubu, the retired DIGs, who were his seniors in rank, prior to his elevation would happily apply for retirement or elect to leave the force, in consonance with the revered tradition of discipline and regimented culture that the Nigerian Police Force is known for.
Having waited to no avail for such application from any of the four retired senior police officers, the Commission decided to compulsorily retire them in order to maintain discipline, which the Force uses as a bedrock, with which to discourage status reversal, as it is inherently inimical to the exercise of authority by the Inspector General of Police.
The Nigerian police force has also announced the appointment of four new senior police officers to replace the relieved DIGs. Their names are listed in the statement, which was titled PSC RETIRES DIGs DAN-MALLAM, JITIBOH, HAFIZ AND ADELEKE, APPOINTS SANI KA’OJE, SOKARI-PEDRO, AYUBA EKPEJI AND USMAN NAGOGO – decision to uphold discipline, discourage status reversal, further partly stated: ‘The Police Service Commission in exercise of its statutory powers, pursuant to the Third Schedule, Part 1 M, para A&B of the 1999 Constitution, reinforced with Section 6 of the Commissions (Establisment) Act 2001, para a, c, d, e, &f, has compulsorily retired four Deputy Inspectors General of Police.’
‘Accordingly, the former DIGs have been mandated to Immediately proceed on compulsory retirement with effect from Friday, 25th August, 2023.The Commission appreciates their immense contributions and efforts towards peace and security of our country and also wishes them well in their future endeavors in retirement.’
‘Similarly, the Commission also approved the appointment of four Assistant Inspectors General of Police to the rank of Deputy Inspectors General of Police which would be subject to ratification by the Board of the Commission to replace the retired DIGs.’
‘The newly appointed DIGs who are without Pending Disciplinary Matters and/or without any serious medical conditions and health impairments were drawn from the same respective geo-political regions of the retired ones.’
‘They are DIG’s Ibrahim Sani Ka’oje; Daniel Sokari – Pedro, Ayuba Ekpeji, and Usman Nagogo.’
Ani felicitated with them for their promotion to the respected ranks of DIG, even as the PSC hoped that they will add value and make impacts to the efforts of the Nigerian Police Force in having their mandates delivered.
