Buhari Sacks IGP Adamu Over Owerri Attack; Appoints Usman Baba |The Source

By Akinwale Kasali

With immediate effect, President Muhammadu  Buhari sacked Mohammed  Adamu as the Inspector General of Police. In his place, Buhari appointed DIG Usman Alkali Baba as the new IGP, but in an acting position.

Except on two occasions, the acting IGP is usually confirmed as the substantive IGP.

Adamu’s sack which was announced to State House Correspondents by the Minister for Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi,  comes 48 hours after the unprecedented attack in Owerri, Imo State, on the Correctional Centre, and the Imo State Police Command Headquarters, by hundreds of heavily armed hoodlums.

During the horrific and devastating attack in the morning of Monday, April 5, least 1,800 prisoners were set free by the rampaging hoodlums. And, at the Police Command, most of  the detainees were released. Not only were buildings razed at both locations of attack, but almost all the vehicles parked at the Police Command, including operational vehicles, were burnt.

The sack also came 24 hours after Adamu visited the Imo State Police Command on an assessment tour of the destruction. While addressing the Officers and Men, he ordered them to shoot their attackers on sight. He had, hours after the attack, put the blame on the IPOB/ESN.

Buhari  had, inexplicably extended, for three months, on February 4, Adamu’s tenure as the IGP, instead of allowing him to retire at his attainment of 35 years in the Force, his tenure, having been dotted by a number of security failures and needless controversies, especially, with the Police Service Commission, PSC.

Not a few people were aghast when his tenure was extended.  It was greeted with condembation by  many individuals and groups. At least, a case is still in the Court, challenging  the extension.

He only spent about two months out of the three-month extension before his sack.

Adamu’s sack may not be unconnected with the Imo attack as the Presidency was said to be very embarrassed by it.

Until his appointment, Baba was the DIG Force Criminal Intelligence Department, FCIID.

Born in 1963, he enlisted into the Police as an ASP in 1988.

The new IGP holds  a Masters Degree in Public Administration, and a First Degree in Political Science.