President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday extended the tenure of Mohammed Adamu as the Inspector-General of Police for three months “to allow for a robust and efficient process of appointing a new IGP.”
Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammad Dingyadi disclosed this in an interview with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Recall that Adamu’s tenure expired on Monday when he attained 35 years in service.
Instead of naming a replacement so that the IGP could hand over, the President and the Presidency kept mum on the matter.
Adamu has remained at his duty post since Monday, fuelling speculation that his tenure could have been ‘secretly’ extended.
The situation made a lawyer, Maxwell Okpara, ask a Federal High Cout in Abuja to stop Adamu from parading himself as the IGP forthwith.
Justifying the three-month extension, however, Dingyadi said it was meant to ensure that the right officer was appointed to replace Adamu.
“Mr President has decided that the present IGP, Mohammed Adamu, will continue to serve as the IG for the next three months to allow for a robust and efficient process of appointing a new IGP.
“This is not unconnected to the desire of Mr President to not only have a smooth handover but to also ensure that the right officer is appointed into that position.
“Mr President is extending by three months to allow him to get into the process of allowing a new one,” the Minister said.
When reminded that the situation has caused a lacuna in the system, the Minister said, “There is no lacuna. Mr President can decide to extend his tenure for three months.”