By Princess-Ekwi Ajide Abuja
The Nigeria Police For has refuted the romour making round mostly social media that IGP Usman Baba Akali has been sacked by immediate t president, Muhammadu Buhari’. The Police Force urged Nigerians to disregard the false news.
A statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Monday in Abuja, said the news making the rounds on social media alleging the sack of IGP Usman Baba by a Federal High Court, Awka, is false, unfounded, and perceived to be the handiwork of mischief makers as the said judgment is subject to appeal.
According to the statement, IGP Alkali was appointed in a letter-number SGF.20/S.6/83 dated November 30, 2021 for a 4-year tenure and his stay in office is within the purview of his appointment.
It noted that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, dismissed a suit that sought to compel IGP Baba, to vacate his office on March 1, 2023.
The Federal High Court, in the judgment delivered by Justice J. K. Omotosho, held that going by the provision of Section 7 (6) of the Police Act, 2020, anyone appointed as the IGP has a statutorily recognised four-year tenure. It described the IGP’s four-year tenure as sacrosanct, adding that his retirement as the IGP had nothing to do with age or years of service.
The statement further stated that maintaining the four-year period for individuals appointed as IGP is institutionalised by the provisions of the law, not on personal grounds to favour an individual, but for the general betterment of the Nigeria Police Force, reaffirming the commitment of the Inspector-General of Police to improving police services within the country as well as the entrenchment of professionalism and community-oriented policing.
It therefore, advised members of the public to ignore the false news making the rounds on social media, as IGP Baba remains the Inspector-General of Police and is duty-bound to execute the responsibilities of the office in accordance with extant laws.
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