The Nigeria Police Force has reacted to a report making the rounds on social media alleging the sack of the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba, by a Federal High Court in Awka.
In a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police said it would appeal the judgement.
The PRO stated that the alleged news is unfounded and perceived to be the handiwork of mischief makers, noting that the said judgment is subject to appeal
Muyiwa explained that Alkali was appointed in a letter-number SGF.20/S.6/83 dated 30th November 2021 for a 4-year tenure and his stay in office is within the purview of his appointment.
It is imperative to note that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, dismissed a suit that sought to compel the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba, to vacate his office on March 1, 2023.
The Federal High Court, in the judgment delivered by Justice J. K. Omotosho, held that going by the provision of Section 7 (6) of the Police Act, 2020, anyone appointed as the IGP has a statutorily recognized four-year tenure.
It described the IGP’s four-year tenure as sacrosanct, stressing that his retirement as the IGP had nothing to do with age or years of service.
The Force insists that, maintaining the four years for individual’s appointed as IGP is being institutionalized by the provisions of the law, not on personal grounds to favour an individual, but for the general betterment of the Nigeria Police Force.
Consequently, members of the public are on this notice advised to ignore the false news making the rounds on social media. IGP Usman Alkali Baba remains the Inspector-General of Police and is duty-bound to execute the responsibilities of the office in accordance with extant laws.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police reaffirms the commitment of the Inspector-General of Police to the improvement of policing services within the country as well as the entrenchment of professionalism and community-oriented policing.
On Saturday, DAILY GIST reported that a Federal High Court sitting in Awka declared that the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali, is an illegal occupant of the office he is presently holding.
Justice Riman, therefore declared Alkali’s appointment and continued stay in office as “unlawful and unconstitutional”.
The court also ordered Alkali Baba to stop parading himself as the Inspector-General of Police.
The court made the order in its judgment in a suit marked FHC/AKW/CS/58/2023, filed by Okechukwu Nwafor, a tax payer.
