The Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi, has said the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alkali Usman Baba, won’t go on retirement next month contrary to popular speculations.
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The IGP will turn 60, the statutory retirement age for police officers in the country, on March 1, 2023.
Speaking with State House correspondents on whether or not the IGP was retiring, he said: “I don’t know where you got your record but by the provision of Police Act 2020, the IGP is now supposed to have a tenure of 4-year period and Mr. President has given him letter of appointment in that regard.
“So, the issue of the IG going out during this election period does not arise.”
President Muhammadu Buhari appointed the then DIG Baba as the acting Inspector General of Police on April 6, 2021.
The Police Council had confirmed him as the substantive Inspector General of Police in June 2021.
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Recall that there had been concerns over the expected retirement of the IGP, three Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs), many Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), Commissioners of Police (CPs) and 290 other policemen in the first quarter of this year.
Baba was born in 1963 and is the 21st Inspector General of Police.