President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed that Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu can remain in office till 2023 or 2024.
Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami also expressed a similar view.
Buhari and Malami expressed these views in response to a suit by Maxwell Opara, a legal practioner, contending that by virtue of section 215 of the Nigerian constitution and section 7 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, Adamu cannot continue to function as the IGP, having retired as a serving member of the force.
Recall that the Police Chief through his counsel had responded to the suit, stating that he could remain in office up till 2024 despite passing the retirement age on the 1st of February 2021.
Also Read: Suit Seeking IGP’s Removal Suffers Setback
Buhari and Malami’s joint response on Wednesday was filed by Maimuna Shiru, a lawyer in the AGF’s office.
“My Lord on the above issue, it is our position that we will be relying and aligning with the argument canvassed by the 2nd defendant’s (IGP’s) counsel as their issue two in paragraphs 1.18 to 1.49 of their written address and we shall be adopting same as ours and urge this honourable court to uphold our argument and dismiss the plaintiff’s case as same is frivolous,” the written address read in part.
They expressed that the constitution conferred on the president executive power to “appoint serving police officer as the inspector-general of police in consultation with police council.”
Responding to the claim that the IGP is no longer a police officer, the president and AGF said neither the Nigeria Police Council nor the Police Service Commission “have disclosed any contrary fact that the 2nd defendant (IGP) is not a serving police officer.”
