Alkali Baba: Confirmed as the Inspector General of Police

By Ismaila Chafe

The Police Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari has confirmed Usman Baba as the substantive Inspector-General of Police (IG-P).

The Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, confirmed this when he briefed State House correspondents at the end of the Council meeting, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.

He said Baba, who has been acting as IG-P since his appointment by President Buhari on April 6, was unanimously confirmed.

“We have just come out of the National Police Council meeting chaired by Mr President and the 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who are also members of the council in attendance.

“The purpose of that meeting was, one, to get the appointment of the acting I-G confirmed by the council – that is in keeping with the Section 215 of the Constitution, which requires the affirmation or confirmation of the full members of the Council before he is finally confirmed as substantive Inspector General of Police.

“Secondly, to brief the Police Council on the security situation in the country and as usual the meeting started with the presentation of the acting inspector general for confirmation which fortunately the council, because of the track records of service of the appointee, was unanimously confirmed as the Inspector General of Police for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Mr President used the opportunity to congratulate him for this appointment, and to call on him to ensure that he does not betray the confidence repose in him by Nigerians.’’

The IG-P, who also spoke to the correspondents, said he later briefed the council after his confirmation, on security developments across the country.

He pledged to work assiduously to ensure that the responsibilities assigned to him were executed satisfactorily.

Baba was appointed acting Inspector General of Police on April 6, following the retirement of his predecessor, Alhaji Muhammad Adamu.