Effective from yesterday, Tuesday, 06/2021, the tenure of Adamu Mohammed as the 20th indigenous Inspector General of the Nigeria police, was abruptly brought to an embarrassing end, through a breaking news that went viral on the media.
The shameful and embarrassing news was disclosed by the Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi while addressing the State House Correspondents, at the Presidential Villa Abuja, followed by the announcement of the appointment of Deputy Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba as the replacement of Adamu, with immediate effect.
Although I am not Adamu, but since yesterday, I have been down with a feeling of self-consciousness, shame and awkward humiliation because of the failure of my mind to get an answer to the nagging question as to why the president did not allow the outgoing IGP to complete his 3-month tenure extension. Could he have done something wrong, or simply caught unawares by nemesis?
According to the minister, “The IGP’s tenure was terminated following the completion of the selection process for a new Inspector General of Police.”
That sounded good in the ear, but not convincing to the conscience, especially when perused through the prism of intuitive brainpower.
The tenure of IGP Adamu Mohammed officially ended on February 1, 2021, after completing the maximum required years in service, but seriously lobbied and was extended by the president for an additional three months – which would allow him to remain in office till the beginning of May, 2021 and during which period, according to the government, the process of selecting his successor would be completed. But barely two months after, DIG Alkali Usman Baba was called to take over.
Destiny deals with the events that would necessarily happen to a person in future, and on the instructions of such necessity, without regards to whose ox may be gored, including whatever humiliation Adamu may suffer as a result of the termination of the extension of his tenure, minister Dingyadi was directed to say as follows:
“After a thorough check of a shortlist of suitably qualified police officers from the rank of DIGs and AIGs, who are eligible police officers, eligible for appointment as IGP, in line with Section 7, Sub-section 2 of the Nigeria Police Act (2020); and having regards to seniority, professionalism, record of service and competence, the president has approved the appointment of an acting IGP, in the person of Usman Alkali Baba, with immediate effect. These changes are in line with the determination of the president to rejig the security architecture and to ensure that the security challenges bedevilling the nation are brought to an end.”
God is wonderful!. There was something that transpired in the past between the acting IGP Alkali Baba and I, which I cannot put in print, but it goes to emphasize the pre-eminence of predestination.
I don’t know how to describe the scenario surrounding Adamu’s situation. Was he retired or fired? Whether you use the verb fired, or the adjective retired, the noun humiliation must take the front seat, because of the embarrassment and shame he is made to feel after the extinction of the meaningless extension.
Had Adamu retired in honour, or relied on the quality of doing what is morally right, by exiting the office at the statutory time of his exit, no one could make him appear stupid while on a duty tour outside Abuja. But because God had ordained such must happen, Allah has appropriately called on Alkali to take over.
As a known adherent of the doctrine of faith, with absolute trust or belief in the mightiness of God as the provider of positions, from acting to substantive, Alkali should take deliberate decisions, one of which is releasing all feelings of resentment or vengeance against all that attempted to harm or frustrate him, regardless of where they are today.
As the 21st indigenous Inspector General of Police, he should forget and forgive the past, by hitting the ground running, as well as taking the advise of Mr. Dingyadi, the minister of police affairs, which goes thus:
“The president has charged the new appointee to rise to the challenge to ensure policing reform policy of this administration are fully prioritised and implemented to enable the police to perform most effectively for the peace and security of lives and property of all Nigerians.”
Alkali should quickly rise to the occasion, by responding with the expertise of experience, in tackling the deteriorating security situation in the south east. That would restore the morale of the police, and send the right signal to the belligerent sucessionists, about the arrival of a no nonsense sheriff.
While consoling Adamu for the unscheduled extinction of his extension, and congratulating Alkali for his coming as a brand new IGP, I make haste to ask him and others to borrow from an African proverb that “The big game often appears when the hunter has given up the hunt for the day.
Ibrahim is a freelance journalist and media practitioner
