Why Buhari May Have Extended IGP Alkali-Baba’s Tenure

There have been speculations surrounding the continuous stay of the current Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali-Baba, whose years of active service in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) ended in March 2023, having attained the statutory age of 60, and 35 years in the Police.

Born on March 1, 1963, and enlisted into the NPF on March 15, 1988, the police council confirmed  Baba’s position as IGP on June 4, 2021, after his interim appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari elapsed.

At the time, the decision was resisted by legal practitioners who argued that appointing an officer who had 21 months left before his retirement as IGP may create a situation where relinquishing power may be difficult.

Recall that Baba’s predecessor, Muhammed Adamu, had opposed his retirement based on Section 7(6) of the Police Act 2020, which stipulates that, “The person appointed to the office of the IGP shall hold office for four years’ despite completing 35 years of service while in the office.”

Two years after, the Nigeria Police Force may have found itself in a similar situation.

But a source at the Presidency confided in THE WHISTLER that President Muhammadu Buhari may have decided to extend Baba’s tenure as IGP and allow him to complete his tenure.

The source said the president “has the executive power to give him another four years. Even when the Senate refuses, Buhari has the such executive power to retain him. The man has done very well and if the President likes him, why not. His tenure may be extended.”

Explaining why the president may have extended Baba’s tenure, the source said he has been a successful IGP, stressing that he has performed creditably in the areas of welfare and improving the professionalism of the Police Force.

The presidency source also scored Baba high in the area of fighting terrorism and other associated crimes including kidnapping for ransom.

A document obtained by THE WHISTLER containing IGP Baba’s record in the last 12 months also explains why Baba may have entered the excellent book of the president.

The document explains Baba’s achievements since becoming the IGP, with the highlights being a 30 per cent upscale in salaries for officers in 2022.

About 7,000 Permanently Disabled Officers and the Next of Kin of deceased officers received over N13 billion from the IGP while officers enjoyed more access to free uniforms, accoutrements, kits and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Another achievement by the police chief showed that officers in the last year were involved in a series of training and retraining, ranging from intelligence-led policing; response to drugs and related crimes; counter-terrorism simulation; public relations, to training on Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) among others.

In 2022, the IGP recorded a total of 1,220 complaints against police action, 960 of them resolved, with 135 sanctions awarded to erring officers.

The document said police secured the arrest of 10,333 criminals (including terrorists/secessionists (367); murder suspects (386); armed robbery suspects (977); kidnappers (429), suspected cultists (483) and 7,691 uncategorised arrests) and recovered a total 14,212 arms and ammunition.

The police had rescued 948 kidnapped victims, a small fraction of at least 4,680 Nigerians abducted across the country, data by the Nigeria Security Tracker (NST) revealed.

Within the same period in view, the document said at least 198 projects including more than 120 modern police stations, barracks and other police buildings were reviewed and completed.

But despite the achievements of Baba as IGP, the Police Service Commission is unhappy with the continuous stay of the IGP, as it contravenes Section 18 (8) of the Police Act 2020.

The provision of Section 18(8) of the Act states that: “Every police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for a period of 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier.”

At least 14 police officers comprising one Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), 11 Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIGs), and two Commissioners of Police (CPs) who were enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force alongside IGP Baba were retired on March 23.

However, the new chairman of the PSC, Solomon Arase, has expressed confidence that the relationship between the Police and the PSC would become more cordial, unlike in previous years.