Ringim, 2 DIGs, others to go in major police shake up

A New Year retirement wave is sweeping the hierarchy of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), with 26 police top officers, including Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, to be affected.

A security source told The Moment that the officers who have already begun their retirement leave from yesterday, also include two Ringim’s deputies in charge of Works and Operations, four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) and 20 Commissioners of Police (CPs).

The four AIGs are those in Zone 1 Kano, Zone 4, Makurdi, Zone 5 Benin, Zone 8 Lokoja and Zone 10 Sokoto.

There are 180 CPs in NPF, according to police records, out of which 20 are due for retirement. They are those in charge of Katstina, Kebbi, Ogun, Ports Authority Police (PAP) and ‘F’ Department.

Investigations by The Moment also reveals that the IG and most of the officers are expected to bow out of the Force on March 1st this year, having reached the mandatory retirement age or having completed 35 years in service.

Dependable sources at Force Headquarters (FHQ) told The Moment that most of the officers have forwarded their retirement letters to the Police Service Commission (PSC) since November 2011 for approval. The Moment further gathered that the Commission has accordingly approved the retirement of the officers.

Confirming the retirement of the IGP, a senior official of Commission (names with held) who was contacted on phone yesterday said, ‘I am not aware if any DIG or AIG or CP is retiring with him.’

It was also gathered that some DIGs, AIGs and even CPs who are aspiring to succeed the IGP have intensified lobby at the Presidency. Some of those itching to clinch the exalted position are said to be lobbying kitchen cabinet members of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Some are said to have gone beyond the Presidency and started consulting spiritualists to get the favour of Jonathan.

According to police records, the most senior DIGs are Azubuko Udah in charge of Administration from Abia State and Mrs. Ivy Okoronkwo in charge of FHQ, also from Abia State.

If President Jonathan follows due process in appointing the most senior officer, Udah may become the next IGP.

However, sources at FHQ hinted that Mrs. Okoronkwo is selling her credentials as a top female cop who can do better than her male colleagues.

She is said to be convincing Aso Rock through her contacts, that she was the first female cop to head a state police command during which her performance was excellent.

Besides, Okoronkwo is said to be banking on her excellent performance when she was a zonal AIG before she was promoted DIG in 2010 along with DIG Udah and others.

But a source in Aso Rock told The Moment yesterday that ‘the country is experiencing serious security challenges and this is not the best time to consider a female officer for IG position.’

Investigations by The Moment further revealed that Udah may stand a better chance of clinching the IGP position.

According to records, Udah knows most of the northern parts of the country like his palm. Over 10 years of his police career was spent in various parts of the North as an operational officer.

Also in the South-West, Udah worked in Zone 2 Police Command, comprising Lagos and Ogun states as a senior investigating officer. Before his elevation to DIG rank, he was AIG in charge of Zone 2.

The records also showed that Udah conceptualised the Amnesty for the Niger-Delta militants, when he was AIG in charge of Zone 6, Calabar, Cross River State, through former IGP Mike Okiro, who was said to have successfully convinced the late President Musa Yar’Adua through the then Vice President Jonathan to approve the Amnesty Programme.

Apart from the two front-runners, others lobbying for the post of AIGs are two from the North, one each from the South-West and South-East, while the CPs are two from the North, one from the South-West, two each from the South-East and the South-South.

Meanwhile, investigation also revealed that DIG Ganiu Dawodu who died recently in a hotel in Ikorodu, Lagos, and who represented the South-West geo-political zone, may be replaced next week. A source added that the police authority may replace him with the new AIG in charge of Zone 2, Mr. Chris Ola, believed to be the most senior AIG from the zone.

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