Presidency Keeps Mum 4 Days After IGP Idris Retired From Active Service

There is uncertainty in the Police Service Commission, PSC, following the silence of the Presidency over the expected retirement of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who completed 35 years in service last Thursday, December 3, 2018.

There are reports that the PSC was now waiting to see if any decision by the federal government would be communicated when IGP Idris turns 60 years of age on January 15, 2019.

According to civil service statutes, the occupant of the office of the Inspector General of Police is to resign after spending the mandatory 35 years in service or attaining 60 years of age, whichever came first.

Vanguard quoted a source at the commission as saying there was nothing the PSC could do on its own, adding that they were still open to the window of the IGP attaining 60 years of age on January 15 to proceed on retirement, except the President felt otherwise.

Recent activities of the Inspector General of Police, including the deployment and redeployment of over seven state police commissioners to states commands, such as Bauchi, Kogi, Imo, Edo, Bayelsa, Delta, Abia, and Akwa Ibom among others, do not give the impression of an IGP who had attained mandatory 35 years in service and is willing to go on retirement.

Incidentally, more than 10 senior police officers, who were course mates of IGP Idris, who attained the mandatory 35 years in service, were duely retired in 2018.

Among them are the former Commissioner of Police in charge of Special Fraud Unit, Lagos, Kola Shodipo; former Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State, Austin Iwar; CP Isaac Eke, and Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinwuba Isiakpuna.

A course mate of IGP Idris, who earlier rose to the position of IGP and was retired by former President Goodluck Jonathan, was Suleiman Abbah.

The Police Council made up of the 36 state governors, chaired by the President, is supposed to confirm a new Inspector General of Police if and when a new one is chosen by the President.