Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector-General of Police, has been deemed ineligible for the office he is currently occupying by a Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State.
The ruling was made by Justice Fatun Riman, who stated that Baba’s continued tenure in office violates the Police Act of 2020.
Riman stated that the Police IG’s stay is “unlawful and unconstitutional,” insisting that Alkali-Baba is an unauthorised occupant of the IGP’s office.
Okechukwu Nwafor, a taxpayer, filed a lawsuit with the filing designation FHC/AKW/CS/58/2023. The court rendered a decision in this case.
According to the court’s ruling, no officer with less than four years of service may be appointed as the IG of Police. Only officers with the specified rank and four years of service may be appointed as the IG of Police.
In January of this year, Buhari extended the tenure of the Police chief.
A certified copy of the judgement, which was delivered on Friday, May 19, 2023, was disclosed on Saturday, May 27, 2023.
The plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari, the Inspector General of Police, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the Nigeria Police Council, seeking a court order to prevent Aljali-Baba from continuing in office after his term expired.
In his judgement, after hearing the Counsel on the matter, Justice Riman stated, “It is important to note that the Inspector-General of Police is a public servant and a member of the Nigeria Police Force, an authority established from the Federation by Section 214 (1) of the Constitution and subject to the Federal Public Rules 299 (PSR) thereof, which provides for the mandatory retirement of all grades of public servants.”
“I also note that despite the President’s prerogative authority, he is constrained by the provisions of the Constitution. “The Inspector General of Police’s retirement is a statutory and constitutional matter, and no other law can alter the status quo,” ruled the judge.
Alkali-Baba turned sixty years old on March 1, 2023, the mandatory retirement age.