The Coalition of Opposition Political Parties, CUPP, said Sunday it would embark on mass protest on January 15 against the continued stay of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
To this end, it has directed all member political parties in the 36 states of Nigeria, made up of about 57 registered parties, to gear up for action.
CUPP in a statement signed by the 1st national spokesperson, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint a serving police officer into the vacant office of Inspector General of Police as required by the 1999 constitution since IGP Ibrahim Idris is no longer a police officer, having clocked the statutory 35 years in active service retirement age and could not by law, occupy the office of the IGP again.
The statement read: “The continuous, illegal parading of himself as the Inspector General of Police is an act of impersonation and a threat to our national security which should be stopped summarily.
“The opposition coalition wishes to remind President Buhari to the sacred provision of Section 215(1)a of the 1999 Constitution which clearly holds that the President can only appoint a serving police officer as Inspector General of Police.
“This means that with the reaching of the mandatory retirement age of 35 years of active service on January 3, 2019, and the mandatory retirement age of 60 years of age while in service by the IGP (which comes up on January 15, 2019), the IGP is constitutionally barred from being retained or reappointed as Police IGP as he is no longer a serving police officer.
”His continued stay in office is illegal and an act of impersonation as there is no legal or documentary evidence to back up his stay as IGP.
“We call on President Buhari to be courageous to announce the replacement and not bow to the pressure to cement illegality in the core of the nation’s security architecture due to his desperation to rig himself back to power, knowing he has been rejected by the Nigerian people.
“The uncertainty in the leadership of the Police in such auspicious moment emboldens persons with sinister motives and demoralizes senior officers of the force due to this abrupt and unlawful halt to their career progression. The law is clear on who can be appointed as Inspector General of Police and who cannot be appointed as Inspector General of Police and Mr. Ibrahim Idris is now in the latter group.
“It is flowing from this and to save our dear country from further drift from a government that lacks capacity to provide leadership to our country that the secretariat of CUPP hereby directs all coalition members in the 36 states to begin preparation for nationwide protests from 15th January if the retired IGP is seen dressed in Police uniform around Force Headquarters.
“The protests will be in front of the Police Command headquarters of every state and shall be continuous till the right thing is done.
“During the protests, there shall be a declaration that since Mr. Ibrahim Idris is no longer a police officer, he cannot be addressed as IGP and a call to him to steer clear of Force Headquarters.
“By January 15, Mr. Ibrahim Idris would have attained both 35 years (Jan 3, 2019) in service and 60 years of age (Jan 15, 2019) and he would have been roundly unqualified to occupy the office of the Inspector General of Police.
“Finally, we call on President Buhari that he should realize now that he would be held personally responsible if there is a breakdown of law and order, loss of lives and property if he continues down this path of noxious plots to rig himself into power. A word is enough for the wise.”
Meanwhile, there is uncertainty in the Police Service Commission, PSC, following the silence of the Presidency over the expected retirement of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who completed 35 years in service on last Thursday, December 3, 2019.
This is even as the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, Sunday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to announce a new Inspector General of Police, IGP, since the tenure of the incumbent had expired.
Consequently, a source in the commission told Vanguard that PSC was now waiting to see if any decision by the federal government would be communicated when IGP Ibrahim Idris turns 60 years of age on January 15, 2019.
According to civil service statutes, the occupant of the office of the Inspector General of Police is to resign after spending the mandatory 35 years in service or attaining 60 years of age, whichever came first.
A source at the commission, however, said there was nothing the PSC could do on its own, adding that they were still open to the window of the IGP attaining 60 years of age on January 15 to proceed on retirement, except the President felt otherwise.
Recent activities of the Inspector General of Police, including the deployment and redeployment of over seven state police commissioners to states commands, such as Bauchi, Kogi, Imo, Edo, Bayelsa, Delta, Abia, and Akwa Ibom, among others, does not give the impression of an IGP who had attained mandatory 35 years in service and is willing to go on retirement.
Incidentally, more than 10 senior police officers who were course mates of IGP Idris, who attained the mandatory 35 years in service, were retired as at when due in 2018.
Among them are the former Commissioner of Police in charge Special Fraud Unit, Lagos, Kola Shodipo, former Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State, Austin Iwar, CP Isaac Eke, and Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinwuba Isiakpuna.
A course mate of IGP Ibrahim Idris who earlier rose to the position of IGP and was retired by former President Goodluck Jonathan, was Suleiman Abbah.
The Police Council made up of the 36 states governors, chaired by the President, is supposed to confirm a new Inspector General of Police if and when a new one is chosen by the President.
