By the end of work today, Monday, February 1, 2021, the current Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adu, would have officially retired from the force. But there is uncertainty surrounding that, as the Presidency is yet to comment on the matter.
On Monday (today), he completes 35 years in the service, having joined the police in 1986. He will also turn 69 sometime in September this year. These are the criteria for disengagement from the Police, as it is in many other areas of public service: 35 years of service or attainment of 0 years of age, or whichever comes first. This is according to the provisions of the Police Act 2020 that pegs the retirement of police officers at 60 years of age or 35 years of service.
“Every police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for 35 years or until the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier,” Section 18(8) of the new Act says.
Adamu has also served as the IGP for two years, following having been appointed to the position in January 2019.
Also due to retire with the IGP today are three Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) and 10 Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs). Yet, it is not clear who will retire and who will stay on.
Matters relating to these are supposed to be discussed by the Nigeria Police Council, but this body had not met in the last 21 months.
Nigeria is currently witnessing an increasing wave of insecurity, with kidnapping at an unprecedented level in the country. Kidnappers have taken over the country’s highways, farmlands, and neighborhoods, where they abduct people at will and ask for ransom.
President Muhammadu Buhari last week changed the Service Chief whom he appointed upon assumption of office in 2015. The security chiefs had by last week overshot their service period, but all calls by Nigerians for the present to change them yielded no results earlier.
