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There is palpable confusion among the Hierarchy of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, as the tenure of the Inspector-General of Police, Abubakar Adamu expires on Monday (today) while President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to convene a meeting of the Nigeria Police Council for the past 21 months.
Though Adamu who has reached the mandatory retirement age is billed to leave office, the silence from the Presidency and failure of the council to meet are giving confusing signals in the police.
Punch reports that council last met on May 23, 2019, when it ratified the appointment of Abubakar Adamu as the substantive Inspector-General of Police at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The President had on January 15, 2019, appointed Adamu as acting IGP following the retirement of IGP Ibrahim Idris.
The IGP’s appointment was confirmed in May by the council members, comprising the President who is the chairman, all state governors, Minister of Interior, Chairman of the Police Service Commission, and the Permanent Secretary of the commission.
Reports earlier suggested that Adamu was making effort to secure tenure extension to enable him to complete the ongoing reforms in the police.
The latest development is strengthening rumours that the President may have approved additional months in office for him.
Recall that the president had granted the privilege to the immediate past Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Muhammadu Gana, the service chiefs who overstayed in office by five years and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede.
Under the IG, the country recorded an increase in the spate of crimes and classes across the country.
The security challenges and the inability of the security system to manage the security crises across the country led to the creation of the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun and the planned establishment of a security group by the South-East governors.
Kabir Adamu, a security risk management and Intelligence Specialist, while speaking on the failure of the police council to meet during various national security crises, observed that apart from the police council, other key security platforms, including the Joint Intelligence Board have also not been meeting.
He said, “To our utter amazement, it is the National Economic Council that issues directives in the realm of security. You remember when #EndSARS happened, it was the National Economic Council that issued directives that led to the formation of the state judicial panels. That is one grey area that this administration has not been effective.”
The security expert argued that several security crises in the country should have prompted the convening of the meeting of the police council and other key platforms.
Adamu added, “For the police council, several things have come up, including the controversy surrounding the formation of Amotekun, the Eastern Security Network; and the banditry and kidnap-for-ransom all across the country but more in North-Central.
“All these are serious security issues that should have led to the convening of the police council meeting because they affect principally the policing in the country and how the deficiency of policing is negatively affecting national security.”
Efforts to get the reaction of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Sunday evening failed as he did not take his calls.
This post was written by Obiajulu Joel Nwolu.
The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.