Heads to roll in police

                              •DIGs, AIGs, CPs to go

 Following the appointment of former Assistant Inspector General of Police, Sulaiman Abba, as the acting Inspector General of Police, there are indications that heads will roll in the police, as some senior police officers would be retired.Abba was yesterday, announced as acting Inspector-General of Police, to succeed Mohammed Abubakar, who has formally retired, having put in 35 years of service in the police.

In expected mass retirement,

all the course mates of the former IGP Abubakar, still in the police, including five commissioners of police, would go.

Apart from the five commissioners of police, who will leave the Nigeria Police, competent sources revealed that other senior officers, including seven Deputy Inspector Generals of Police (DIGs) and some AIGs would be swept off by the tsunami expected to sweep through the police.

Among those expected to go are all those who gunned for the post of IGP with Abba.

According to a source in the Police Service Commission, the likes of Solomon Arase, AIG in-charge of the Intelligence Bureau and Dan Azumi Doma, AIG, Force Secretary, Force Headquarters, Abuja, might be affected, as they were strong contenders for the post of IGP. Their retirement may become necessary to avert any form of personality clash, except the new IGP thinks otherwise, the source revealed.

According to our sources, Abba will formally write to the Police Service Commission requesting those to be retired and retained.

In the DIG cadre, those expected to retire are: Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Investigations), Mr. Peter Gana and DIG. Michael Ebiware Odogu Zuokumor, in charge of operations, Force Headquarters, among others.

“Naturally, all the DIGs will be retired and any other person would be the sole decision of the IGP,” the source stated.

The source also stated that Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mbah, will  retain his position as the police spokesperson.

Abubakar, who returned from United States of America, where he had gone to visit his wife, who recently delivered a baby boy, was in the office yesterday, to officially inform his colleagues of his exit and the appointment of Abba.

Sources said that earlier, Abubakar was at the Presidential Villa, where President Goodluck Jonathan formally confirmed that his tenure would not be extended and asked him to prepare to hand over to Abba.

Dressed in his full IGP regalia, Abubakar had returned to his office, where he was later joined by Abba and the DIGs. He officially informed Abba that he had been instructed to hand over to him. He and Abba later went to the Presidential Villa.

Meanwhile, the Zone 7 office of Abba, has since turned into a Mecca of sort, as friends and well-wishers visited to congratulate the new IGP.

Abba had served as the Commissioner of Police in charge Rivers State. He was also Deputy Force Secretary, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Deputy Force Secretary) and Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of State CID, FCT Police Command.

He was also ADC to Mrs. Mariam Abacha during the tenure of General Sani Abacha as military head of state.

Abba is an alumnus of the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Kuru. He joined the Police force 35 years ago as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).

Jonathan appoints Abba acting IGP

 From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja

President Goddluck Jonathan yesterday, ended speculations as to who would head the police, with the appointment of Assistant Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, as acting Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Abba succeeds Mohammed Abubakar, who has retired from the police after 36 years service.

According to a statement by Dr. Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, yesterday, the appointment of Abba takes effect today.

The statement read: “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the appointment of AIG Suleiman Abba as the acting Inspector-General of Police.

“AIG Abba, currently the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 7, comprising Abuja, Kaduna and Niger states, replaces the incumbent Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar, who proceeds on statutory retirement today  (yesterday) having completed 35 years in service.

“The incoming Inspector-General, a lawyer, hails from Jigawa State and is an alumnus of the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies.

“Positions previously held by him in the Police include Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department, FCT Command, Deputy Force Secretary and Commissioner of Police, Rivers State.”

Abba will act as IGP pending his confirmation.