The Police Service Commission (PSC) has submitted the files of two Deputy Inspectors-General (DIGs), two Assistant Inspectors-General (AIGs) and a Commissioner of Police (CP) to President Goodluck Jonathan to enable him select the successor to Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar.

Sources said the only police commissioner on the list is Joseph Mbu, who had running battles with the Rivers State Government and the All Progressives Congress (APC), necessitating his current redeployment to the Federal capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

Among the DIGs being considered, one would be retiring next year, it was learnt. The other, the source said, has about seven years to stay in service.

The DIG has about seven more years to put in service and is from the North-West. The other is from South-South.

Sources told our reporter that the DIG from the South-South may not be favoured because the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, is from that zone. His choice may mess things up for the President. He is also said to be a loyalist of a former military leader from the North.

Of the two shortlisted AIGs, one is highly educated and a respected detective, who was a Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to three former IGPs. He is from Edo State, the South-South. He is also said to be highly favoured among those shortlisted.

The other AIG, it was learnt, is from Niger State in the North-Central. He was a Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and was in Lagos State as the supervising CP during 2007 elections.

It was learnt that President Jonathan was studying the files and may make a pronouncement any moment.

Abubakar is due for retirement next week Thursday, July 31. He will proceed on retirement on that date and hand over to the most senior officer, if the President refuses to extend his tenure before that day.

A source said: “If the President does not announce Abubakar’s tenure extension before July 31, he will proceed on retirement. This is because that is his terminal date in the police. If it happens that a new IGP is not appointed, he will hand over to the most senior officer, that is the DIG ‘A’ Department.

“He (Abubakar) cannot stay a day beyond July 31, unless his tenure is extended. This is because all his course mates would retire on that day. In fact, about 60 senior officers are retiring this July.”

It was also learnt that if the President is really interested in the tenure extension of the IGP, he would not have requested form the PSC the files of those considered qualified for the job.

•Adapted from a Nation report. Photo shows one of the shortlisted candidates, ComPol Joseph Mbu.

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