As the Nigerian public awaits the much-anticipated tenure extension for the out-going Inspector General of Police (IGP), Idris Ibrahim, by President Muhammadu Buhari, the political and social landscape is already suffused with predictably mixed reactions.
Ibrahim Idris clocked 35 years in service on Thursday January 3 having enlisted into the police on January 3, 1984. According to the service rule, civil servants are to retire on completion of 35 years in service or on attainment of 60 years of age.
The out-going IGP will however, be 60 years of age on January 15, having been born on January 15, 1959. So which ever rule that applies, the IGP will retire officially in January.
The reactions are elicited by the strong indications from the Presidency that the IGP tenure will be extended by six months.
Speaking to BusinessDay on Thursday, veteran politician and member of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Buba Galadima, expressed certainty that President Buhari will retain the IGP allegedly for nefarious reasons during the elections. He said: “Buhari just wants to use the IGP as an attack dog during the elections and that is why we are saying that we must come and ensure Buhari goes in 2019. It is not in the interest of this country that this man (Buhari) continues; he will destroy the small success that we have made in this democracy.”
Although Galadima admitted that President Buhari has the right to extend the tenure of the IGP, he noted it is not for any political exigencies.
“For example the next person in rank is a woman from the South East and Buhari does not want to entrust her with the running of the election. Now, this is a message o the south easterners who believe that Buhari will hand over to them in 2023.
“If he cannot entrust you with the IGP, how can he give you president in 2023? I am just calling on my Igbo brothers, those who are saying that Buhari will give them presidency in 2023 let them first secure the position of the IGP, and then we know that he is serious,” he said.
Also speaking to BusinessDay on Thursday Public affairs analyst Katch Ononuju expressed no doubts that Buhari would retain all the Service Chiefs including the IGP.
“Buhari is keeping all the Service Chiefs and he is keeping them because of these elections. The IG will stay and do the job for Buhari because Buhari is so frightened about the 2019 election that he will never entrust another person with the IGP, especially from the south east,” he said.
Renowned security expert, Majeed Dahiru alleged that the anticipated tenure elongation for the IGP is simply because of his over- partisan loyalty to the President.
“The major political players in the system will tell you that he is very partisan, so the anticipated extension of his tenure will just be a reward for his partisanship,” he said.
However, former Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lawrence Alobi during a current affairs programme on Channels Television (Sunrise daily) said it is necessary for the IG’s tenure to be extended, arguing that retiring him at this critical time of election will not augur well for the system.
He said: “We know how election is to our democracy and stability of our nation. If at this critical moment you change the leadership of the police force I don’t think it is an act of wisdom. For me, we should be thinking about national interest not individual interest.
“If they bring in new IG within two months to election he will begin to plan new strategies, how to study what is on ground. So, extending the tenure of the IG is better in the interest of this country, it is better for the Nigerian police and it is better for the elections. The other service chiefs have been given extension, so I don’t see any reason this IG should not be given extension,” he said.
If the tenure of Idris Ibrahim is extended, then he will join the other security heads whose tenures were extended by President Muhammadu Buhari. They include, Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Yusufu Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar.
President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Idris the 19th indigenous Inspector General of Police, IGP on March 21, 2016 to replace Solomon Arase, who retired from service on June 21, 2016. Prior to his appointment, he was an Assistant Inspector General of Police (Operations), FHQ Abuja. He also led the Police Mobile Force as well as the Kano State and Nasarawa State police commands as Commissioner of Police.
IGP Idris hails from Kutigi, Lavun in Niger State. He joined the Nigerian Police after graduating from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria with a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture. He also holds a degree in Law from the University of Maiduguri.
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