The Police Service Commission (PSC) has taken significant actions in a recent development, ordering the immediate compulsory retirement of four senior Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) for their failure to retire following the appointment of their colleague, Olukayode Egbetokun, as the acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
The affected senior DIGs are Dan-Mallam Mohammed, Moses Jitiboh, Hafiz Inuwa, and Adeleke Bode.
In a move to fill the resulting vacancies, the PSC has simultaneously approved the appointments of four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) – Ibrahim Ka’oje, Daniel Sokari-Pedro, Ayuba Ekpeji, and Usman Nagogo – to the rank of DIGs. However, these appointments are pending ratification by the board of the commission.
Ikechukwu Ani, the spokesperson for the commission, revealed this development during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday. He cited the PSC’s exercise of its statutory powers as outlined in the 1999 Constitution and the PSC (Establishment) Act of 2001 as the basis for these decisions.
Ani clarified that the order for compulsory retirement was issued because the PSC had expected the senior DIGs, who held higher ranks than Olukayode Egbetokun prior to his elevation as IG, to voluntarily retire.
He explained that the order became imperative because the PSC had expected those DIGs who were seniors in rank prior to Egbetokun’s appointment as IG, to voluntarily retire, adding that such expected application was in consonance with the revered tradition of discipline and regimented culture of the Nigeria Police Force.
Ani stated, “In the wake of the appointment of the acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun on June 19, 2023 by Mr President, the Commission had expected in consonance with the revered tradition of discipline and regimented culture of the Nigeria Police Force that those DIGS who were seniors in rank prior to his elevation will voluntarily apply for retirement or elect to leave the Force.
“The Commission, having waited for ample time with no such application from any of them, took the decision to compulsorily retire them in order to uphold discipline which is the bedrock of the Force, and to discourage status reversal which is inherently inimical to the exercise of authority by the Inspector General.”
In contrast, the newly appointed DIGs, who hail from the same respective geo-political regions as the retired officers, are without any pending disciplinary matters or significant medical conditions.
