By ARUGA JOE OMOKARO, Abuja

The choice of the next Inspector-General of Police (IGP) is said to be pitting kingmakers in Aso Rock Villa or Presidency against one another.

Investigations showed that those who are at center of the imbroglio are the Attorney-General of the Federation (A-G), National Security Adviser (NSA), Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF) and a few key officials at the Presidency.

The present IGP Mohammed Adamu was to statutorily retire last month (February 2 to be specific).

However, the Presidency extended his tenure by three months. If his tenure terminates after the three months in May 2021, another IGP will or may be announced to replace him.

Our discrete checks further revealed that those in the ring for the position are Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Moses Jutoboh from Bayelsa State; Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Dasuki Galanchi from Kano State and Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Ciroma from Yobe State.

Ciroma is due for promotion to the rank of AIG as soon as the Police Service Commission (PSC) convenes next month.

Dependable sources close to Aso Rock hinted that he is the choice of the Attorney General. Our source also disclosed the A-G had strongly slated him for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman position last year but Ciroma narrowly missed that job.

The A-G is said to be strongly pushing for him to clinch the IGP job.

But other interested persons in Aso Rock are said to be kicking against Ciroma’s choice. They are said to alleging that the A-G is wielding too much power and influence on national issues, especially on security matters. He is said to have influenced the choice of the new EFCC chairman.

The Daily Times learnt that the NSA, Chief of Staff, and some officials in the Presidency are preferring Jutiboh and Dasuki.

A respected monarch from Kano and some top politicians from the area are said to have been strongly making a case for Galanchi.

But other Aso Rock chiefs are said to be uncomfortable with his choice because the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Gambo is also from Kano State.

“It will cause controversy if the CNS and the next IGP are from the state. It may create disloyalty to the new IG by some officers from other regions,” a source opined.

By March 4 this year, AIG Galandanchi and Chiroma were officially, legally, and technically not qualified as enshrined in Section 7 (6) of the Police Act 2020 which stipulates that any officer to be appointed IGP must have not less than four years more in service.

If the Presidency will not bend the Act or apply regional sentiments the only qualified officer who has more than four years in service is DIG Moses Jitoboh.

He was promoted to DIG on February 23, this year. Dasuki was promoted to AIG in December 2020. Dasuki and Jutiboh have attended the National Institute of Strategic Studies (NIPSS) which is one of the prerequisites for an appointment for the IGP position. Dasuki passed out from NIPSS last November.

If Dasuki is appointed about 18 AIGs and six DIGs would be compulsorily retired. He is number 19 in seniority in the AIG cadre.

If CP Ciroma is appointed IGP after the Police Commission hurriedly promotes him to AIG rank next month, about 28 AIG’s would be forced to retire as they are currently his seniors.

In November 2020 it was reported that former IGP Mike Okiro and retired DIG Yakubu Mohammed advised President Buhari not to appoint a junior officer as IGP. According to them such an appointment would kill professionalism because those to be forced to retire may have more years in service may compound problems that may arise in due course.

They also argued that some of them that may be forced out may go with the expertise and experience needed to move the force forward. They added that those that may be promoted to replace them may not be patriotic because they believe once the new IGP leaves they would be forced to retire. (The Daily Times)

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