President Buhari, AGF Malami Insist IGP Adamu Can Remain in Office Till 2024
- The controversy surrounding the extension of IGP Mohammed Adamu's tenure in office is now a matter for the courts
- Both President Muhammadu Buhari and his minister of justice have defended their action
- The lawyers of the duo argued that extending the tenure of the police chief is the prerogative of the president
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President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney-General of the Federation(AGF), Abubakar Malami have argued the president was empowered by the constitution to retain Mohammed Adamu as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for as long as it suits him.
Their position is contained in the joint response they filed to a suit instituted by a lawyer, Maxwell Opara, challenging, among others, the president’s decision to extend Adamu’s stay as the IGP for another three months from Monday, February 1, when he ordinarily should have retired.
In the written submission filed for them by a lawyer in the AGF’s office, Maimuna Shiru, Buhari and Malami argued that Adamu is a serving police officer and can benefit from the president's extension of his tenure in office.
Source: Twitter
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The lawyer also stated that the four years tenure provided for the IGP in Section 7(6) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, as it applies to his client, would end either in 2023 or 2024.
The Nation quoted the lawyer as saying:
“If his tenure in office is calculated from 2020 when the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 came into force. his tenure in office ends in 2024.”
Premium Times reports that the judge handling the case adjourned proceedings till Tuesday, March 30 for hearing.
Legit.ng had earlier reported that the IGP adopted the same position earlier when his lawyer began defence of the case against him.
IGP Adamu argued through his lawyer, in objection to the suit, that his tenure never lapsed on Monday, February 1.
Meanwhile, IGP Adamu has asked Igbo political, religious, and traditional leaders to caution the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and its security outfit, Eastern Security Network on their activities in the southeast region of Nigeria.
The IGP gave the councel on Tuesday, March 2 in Awka when he spoke during a security summit organised by the Anambra state government.
IGP Adamu who was represented at the event advised the groups that freedom will not be achieved through violent means.
Jerrywright Ukwu is an Abuja-based senior political/defence correspondent at Legit.ng. He is a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and the International Institute of Journalism in Abuja. He is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He spends his leisure-time reading history books. He can be reached via email at jerrywright39@yahoo.com.
Source: Legit.ng
