Breaking: FG Approves Appointment Of New IGP

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Usman Alkali Baba as acting Inspector General of Police (IGP). 

 The minister for police affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, made this known at the State House in Abuja, on Tuesday, April 6. 

Buhari who had on February 4 extended the tenure of now-former IGP Mohammed Adamu for three months shocked the nation with the immediate appointment of Baba.

Adamu, who was appointed in 2019, had completed the mandatory 35 years in service on February 1 and was expected to have been replaced by the president, but his tenure was extended amidst widespread criticism and a resultant lawsuit.

When queried on the reason behind the president’s decision to terminate the outgoing IGP’s incomplete extended tenure, Maigari Dingyadi said the president is at liberty to appoint who he pleases.

“Mr. President is aware of this and you cannot take away that responsibility from him; he’s the one who is in charge of appointing or extending tenures.

“He has now decided to appoint a new person. So please allow him that responsibility and we cannot do anything about it.”

Dingyadi said the president is grateful to the outgoing IGP “for his professionalism and dedication to duty during the period of his tenure”.

The newly appointed acting IGP till his appointment served as the deputy inspector-general of police, force criminal investigation department, force headquarters.

He was born on March 1, 1963, in Geidam, Yobe state, and enlisted in the Nigeria Police Force on March 15, 1988.

Baba holds a teacher’s grade II certificate (TC II) from Teachers College, Potiskum, Yobe.

He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Bayero University, Kano. He also has a masters in public administration from the University of Maiduguri, Borno state.