Ozekhome (SAN) And Prof. Odinkalu Fault Appointment Of New IGP, Say Is Illegal

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Mike Ozekhome, SAN and Prof. Chidi Odinkalu have faulted the
appointment of Usman Alkali Baba as the new Inspector General of
Police,. According to them, the appointment is illegal

Baba’s appointment as replacement for former IGP Mohammed Adamu
was announced by the Police Affairs Minister, yesterday.

The acting IGP was the Deputy Inspector General in charge of
Force Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department
(FCIID).

Ozekhome said the president lacks the power to single-handedly
appoint an IGP.

He argued that by sections 7(6) and 18(8) of the Nigeria Police
Act, 2020, in addition to the clear provisions of sections 214 ,215
and 216 and paragraph 7 to the 3rd Schedule of the 1999
Constitution, “the president cannot single-handedly appoint an IGP,
as he has again unconstitutionally and illegally done.”

He added that the president “can only do so in conjunction with
the Nigeria Police Council comprising Mr. President as chairman,
all the 36 state governors, the chairman of the Police Service
Commission and the IGP,”

Therefore, according to him, “Such an appointment as just
happened before the new acting IGP is capricious, arbitrary,
whimsical, unconscionable, illegal, unlawful, wrongful and
unconstitutional.”

Prof. Odinkalu, who was a former chairman of the National Human
Rights Commission, described the appointment of Acting IGP as
illegal.

“The Police Act, 2020, doesn’t recognise Acting
Inspector-General of Police.

“The Constitution requires Police Council to advise on the
appointment of IGP. They have not met.

“The Police Affairs Minister has no powers in the process.” he
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