THE Police Service Commission (PSC) has ordered four Deputy Inspector-Generals of Police to immediately proceed on compulsory retirement.
The affected senior police officers include Dan-Mallam Mohammed, Moses Ambakina Jitiboh, Hafiz Mohammed Inuwa and Adeleke Adeyinka Bode.
Ikechukwu Ani, spokesman of the commission, who disclosed this to journalists in Abuja on Monday, said the commission gave the order in the exercise of its statutory powers.
According to him, the powers is in pursuant to the Third Schedule, Part 1 M, para A&B of the 1999 Constitution, reinforced with Section 6 of the Commissions (Establisment) Act 2001, para a, c, d, e, & f.
He explained that the order became imperative because PSC had expected those DIGs who were seniors in rank prior to the acting IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, to voluntarily retire.
The PSC spokesman said such expected application was in consonance with the revered tradition of discipline and regimented culture of the Nigeria Police Force.
“In the wake of the appointment of the acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun on the 19th of June, 2023 by Mr. President, the Commission had expected in consonance with the revered tradition of discipline and regimented culture of the Nigeria Police Force that those DIGS who were seniors in rank prior to his elevation will voluntarily apply for retirement or elect to leave the Force.
“The Commission, having waited for ample time with no such application from any of them, took the decision to compulsorily retire them in order to uphold discipline which is the bedrock of the Force, and to discourage status reversal which is inherently inimical to the exercise of authority by the Inspector General,” Ani stated.
The PSC, however, approved the appointment of four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police to the rank of DIGs which would be subjected to ratification by the board of the commission to replace the retired DIGs.
The newly appointed DIGs, according to Ani, who are without Pending Disciplinary Matters and/or without any serious medical conditions and health impairments were drawn from the same respective geo-political regions of the retired ones.
Those new DIGs include Ibrahim Sani Ka’oje; Daniel Sokari – Pedro, Ayuba Ekpeji and Usman Nagogo.
