The Police Service Commission (PSC) has issued an order for the compulsory retirement of four Deputy Inspector-Generals of Police (DIGs).
The senior police officers affected by the order are Dan-Mallam Mohammed, Moses Ambakina Jitiboh, Hafiz Mohammed Inuwa, and Adeleke Adeyinka Bode.
The spokesperson for the commission, Ikechukwu Ani, revealed this development to journalists in Abuja on Monday.
Ani explained that the commission exercised its statutory powers in line with the Third Schedule, Part 1 M, para A&B of the 1999 Constitution, reinforced by Section 6 of the Commissions (Establishment) Act 2001, para a, c, d, e, & f.
He said the decision to retire the DIGs became necessary as the PSC had expected these officers, who held higher ranks than the acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to voluntarily retire.
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Ani emphasized that this expectation was in line with the disciplined and regimented culture of the Nigeria Police Force.
He said, “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.
However, the PSC also approved the promotion 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.
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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.