President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, decorated Mr. Mohammed Abubakar Adamu as the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Adamu, who was Assistant Inspector General of Police, took over from Mr. Ibrahim Kpotu Idris, who retired from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) after 35 years of service to the nation.
Adamu’s appointment would be ratified by the Police Service Commission and the Council of State.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents after he was decorated by the president, the new IGP said, he would evolve new strategies on addressing issues of kidnapping and other security challenges.
On the forthcoming elections, Adamu said, the police would be neutral in discharging their constitutional duties with regards to the conduct of the election.
“I want to thank Mr. President for considering me worthy to be the next Inspector General of Police. We know that there are security challenges that we need to tackle in the country; issues of kidnapping, abduction and other security challenges.
“From the strategies put in place by the former IGP, we will re-strategise and make sure that we tackle these challenges squarely.
“On the elections, you have heard from the former IGP, adequate arrangement has been made to make sure that free and fair and credible elections take place in Nigeria. We are going to build on the strategies put in place to make sure that we have hitch-free elections in the country.
“We are professionals. We are going to stick to the rules; we are going to do the right thing. We will not go outside the ethics of our job to do things that are untoward, everybody will be given level playing ground to play his or her politics,” he pledged.
The Acting IGP, who hails from Lafia, Nasarawa state, holds a B.Sc in Geography, and enlisted into the Force on February 1, 1986.
He attended several senior officer courses on law enforcement, crime prevention, control and management within and outside the country.
Before his appointment, he was a Directing Staff at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, Plateau state.
Also at different times, the new police boss was Commissioner of Police in Ekiti and Enugu states, and also Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 5 Police Command Headquarters, Benin, Edo state.
…Stops Lagos CP from handover
Meanwhile, the new police hierarchy has ordered the Commissioner of Police in Lagos state, Edgal Imohimi, not to hand over as earlier directed by Idris.
Imohimi disclosed this to journalists yesterday as he was about concluding the handover to the supposed incoming CP, Kayode Egbetokun.
Imohimi, who addressed journalists in the presence of Egbetokun at the Command headquarters, said: “I am sure that you know Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, he is an old timer in the command.
“You all know that our first job is about order and direction; we were about concluding the handing and taking over procedure when we were instructed by our bosses from Abuja to suspend action for now. So, there will be no change of guard for now. Of course, we would keep the press briefed about any development.
“But I am happy, humbled that you find it serious enough for you all to come to witness what we are doing here. I consider it an honour.”
