Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammed Dingyadi, has confirmed that President Buhari did not consult the Police Service Commission (PSC) before appointing Usman Alkali Baba as the new Inspector-General of Police .
Dingyadi, however, said Buhari did not violate the Constitution by his action as it is being claimed in some quarters.
The appointment of Baba, three days ago, has attracted reactions, particularly from lawyers, questioning the constitutionality of the process that produced him.
It is said that the president did not consult the police council as contained in the Nigeria Police Act 2020, and sections 214, 215, and 216 of the 1999 constitution (as amended).
But speaking yesterday while featuring on Channels Television’s Programme, ‘Politics Today’, Dingyadi said Baba is serving in acting capacity, adding that the president is making arrangements to consult the police council, when he returns from the United Kingdom.
“Mr president, by law, has been asked, while appointing the inspector-general of police to consult the police council. Mr president has not yet consulted the police council and that is why you have seen that the person he is appointing now is on acting capacity,” he said.
“So, he’s making arrangements now to consult the police council, and as you are aware, Mr president is not in the country at this material time.
“As soon as he comes back, he will set the machinery in motion to do the necessary processes provided by the law to consult the police council in this direction.”
Asked what will happen if the police council rejects the appointment, Dingyadi noted that such has not happened before, but said the president must have done his homework before announcing Baba as the IGP.
“I’m not sure, but this kind of thing has never happened, because before the president takes decision on an acting appointment, he must have made his own homework,” he said.
“What the police council will be after is ensuring that the right person is brought on board — somebody who is capable; somebody who is a professional; somebody who is qualified and experienced.
“And I want to believe that the governors who are members of this council have all the confidence in Mr president and they know the kind of person he is. I think Mr president should be able to convince members of the police council in this decision that he has taken at this material time.”
The minister also confirmed that the DSS alerted the police before the attacks on Imo police command headquarters and Owerri Corrrectional Centre.
Dingyadi, who commended the efforts of the police to repel the attacks, said the gunmen overpowered the policemen on duty because the gunmen “came with all the arsenals at their disposal” and “in large numbers”.
Dingyadi said, “People are always pointing accusing fingers at the police. This report was not just sent to the police, it was sent to other security agencies and to the government as far as my understanding is concerned and then the police at that particular time did the best that they could but they were overpowered.
“Don’t forget that these people came prepared, they came with all the arsenals at their disposal and they came in large numbers and that is why they were able to overpower the police at the entrance of the police headquarters in Owerri.
“So, it is not just the police to be blamed, the police did their best and it was not only the police that was hit; the correctional centre in Owerri was also attacked. It is a collective responsibility. Security is the responsibility of everybody and we have a responsibility to ensure that we remain alert and focused on these issues 24 hours a day.”
