The Police Service Commission (PSC) has ordered four Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) to retire immediately. The affected DIGs are Dan-Mallam Mohammed, Moses Jitiboh, Hafiz Inuwa and Adeleke Bode.
The PSC gave the order to exercise its statutory powers following the appointment of Olukayode Egbetokun as the acting Inspector-General of Police (IG). Egbetokun ranks senior to the four DIGs, and the PSC had expected them to retire voluntarily.
The PSC also approved appointing four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) to the rank of DIGs to replace the retired officers. The new DIGs are Ibrahim Ka’oje, Daniel Sokari-Pedro, Ayuba Ekpeji and Usman Nagogo.
The PSC spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, said the decision to retire the four DIGs was taken to uphold discipline in the police force. He said the PSC had waited long for the DIGs to retire voluntarily, but they had not.
The new DIGs were drawn from the same respective geo-political regions as the retired officers.
She added that part of the plan will also see to the preservation and sustainability of Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
“Under the renewed hope agenda of the presidency, we will provide the tools needed to accelerate growth across all creative economy sectors,” she said.
“We will deliver job opportunities and foster foreign partnerships and local collaborations that proudly exhibit our rich and unique national identity on a local and global stage, and we will elevate our nation’s economic standing.
“We have multiple initiatives and projects planned such as creative hubs, a Nigeria cultural expo, a national entertainment centre, a national art gallery, innovative publishing partnerships and a gaming sandbox project.
The four retired DIGs were all appointed to their current positions in 2021. Dan-Mallam Mohammed is from the North-East, Moses Jitiboh is from the South-South, Hafiz Inuwa is from the North-West, and Adeleke Bode is from the South-West.
Olukayode Egbetokun was appointed acting IG on June 19, 2023. He is from the South-West.
Reaction
The decision by the PSC to retire the four DIGs has been met with mixed reactions. Some people have praised the PSC for upholding discipline in the police force, while others have criticized the decision, saying it was unfair to the DIGs.
The DIGs have not yet commented on the decision.
