The Police Service Commission (PSC) has denied ever endorsing the tenure elongation of the Inspector General of Police, who is to attain the retirement age of 60 years in March, 2023.
The commission in a statement issued on Monday, said it would commit itself to the letters and spirit of the laws of the land and would not at any time support or encourage any attempt to subvert the law.
The statement read: “The attention of the Police Service Commission has been drawn to an online publication where the commission was said to have endorsed the tenure elongation of the current Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba.
”The online publication in a supposed interview with AIG Lawal Bawa, retired commissioner in the commission, representing the Police, stated that the PSC commissioner confirmed that the commission is not against the extension of the tenure of the Inspector General of Police.
“It went further to quote the commissioner, ‘If the IGP feels that it will affect effective monitoring of the elections, let him write to the President for their extension, We, PSC, have no objection’.
“The commissioner has since denied making such statement , stressing that he was obviously misquoted.
“According to him, he told the online publication that it was the prerogative of Mr. President to decide.
The commission, therefore, wishes to state that it has not endorsed any tenure elongation for the current Inspector General of Police.
“As a matter of fact, the commission was never contacted on this subject at any time. It notes that it will always commit itself to the letters and spirit of the laws of the land and will not at any time support or encourage any attempt to subvert these laws.
“The commission wishes to appeal to the media to avoid unnecessary sensationalism in an attempt to attract huge readership.
“The commission will also continue to work to ensure an effective and efficient Nigeria Police rooted in the rules and regulations governing it’s operations.”
Recall that Police Affairs Minister, Mohammed Dingyadi, had said last week that the IGP would not be retiring when he turns 60 years on March 1, 2023, noting that his appointment was for a single tenure of four years.
