‘IGP will only serve one term’ – Minister says Buhari did not extend tenure of police boss

The Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi, has reacted to reports in some section of the media that president Muhammadu Buhari has extended the tenure of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba.

Dingyadi says the office of the IGP is for a single tenure of four years.

A statement by the Press Secretary, Ošaigbovo Ehisienmen, on Thursday, Dingyadi said the IGP was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on 6 April 2021 and confirmed by the Nigeria Police Council headed by the president in June 2021 for a single tenure of four years.

“The appointment and confirmation were done as provided for, in Section 7 (3), and Section 7 (6) of the Police Act 2020 which amongst others states “that the person appointed to the office of the I-G shall hold office for four years.

“These provisions of the 2020 amended Police Act should not be misconstrued for tenure extension as erroneously reported in some sections of the media,” he said.

The minister expressed concerns over the misrepresentation of his response on the tenure for the IGP by some sections of the media at an engagement with State House Correspondents on Wednesday.

Mr Baba would have retired on 1 March when he would attain the age of 60.