The Police Service Commission (PSC) in Nigeria has ordered the immediate compulsory retirement of four senior Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) for failing to retire following the appointment of their colleague, Olukayode Egbetokun, as the acting Inspector-General of Police. The affected DIGs are Dan-Mallam Mohammed, Moses Jitiboh, Hafiz Inuwa, and Adeleke Bode.
The PSC has also approved the appointment of four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, Ibrahim Ka’oje, Daniel Sokari-Pedro, Ayuba Ekpeji, and Usman Nagogo, to the rank of DIGs. However, this appointment is pending ratification by the board of the commission to officially replace the retired DIGs.
The spokesperson for the commission stated that the order for the compulsory retirement was issued in accordance with the commission’s statutory powers. The commission had expected the senior DIGs, who held higher ranks prior to Egbetokun’s appointment as IG, to voluntarily retire or leave the force following his elevation. Since no such applications were received, the PSC decided to compulsorily retire them to uphold discipline and discourage status reversal within the force.
The newly appointed DIGs are chosen from the same respective geo-political regions as the retired ones and have no pending disciplinary matters or serious medical conditions. This move is part of efforts to maintain discipline and hierarchy within the Nigeria Police Force.