The inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris who is expected to retire on January 3rd when he reached the mandatory 35 years in service is currently
The inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris who is expected to retire on January 3rd when he reached the mandatory 35 years in service is currently at his office at police headquarters in Abuja. Idris arrived at his office at 11:40am. He arrived in a convoy of at least six vehicles with his private car marked NPF 01. Before proceeding to his office, he was greeted by the parade guards within the force headquarters.
There have been speculations that his tenure might be extended till the elections are over. Idris, who is the 19th indigenous inspector-general of police, was appointed on March 21, 2016. He replaced Solomon Arase, who retired from service on June 21, 2016. Idris will turn 60 on January 15, 2019.
Meanwhile there are alleged plots to keep Idris in office so that he could work in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the election. Idris was the commissioner of police in Kano state during the 2015 general elections, further fuelling the concerns being raised by critics of President Muhammadu Buhari. For this reason, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has commenced mobilization of its members across the 36 states of the federation in preparation for a nationwide protest on January 15 against an alleged tenure elongation.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the CUPP’s national spokesman, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere and electronically made available to our correspondent. The CUPP, however, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint a serving police officer into vacant office of Inspector General of Police as required by 1999 Constitution since IGP Ibrahim Idris was no longer eligible to serve as a police officer having attained the statutory age of 35 years in active service, a precondition for retirement which had barred him from office of the IGP.
The opposition parties maintain that the continuous holding on to office by Idris Ibrahim as the IGP was an act of impersonation and a threat to the national security which should be stopped with immediate effect. The opposition coalition also reminded President Buhari of the provisions of Section 215(1)a of the 1999 Constitution which clearly holds that the President can only appoint a serving police officer as Inspector General of Police.
