New IGP: Abubakar to know fate this week
The validity of the alleged directive issued to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, by the higher authority to proceed on terminal leave will be known before the end of this week, a competent police source has disclosed.
This is happening at a time the presidency has begun weighing options of who could be a suitable replacement for sacked Ahmed Gulak as President Goodluck Jonathan's Special Adviser on Political Matters.
A reliable source at the Police Service Commission (PSC), who disclosed the latest development surrounding Abubakar in an interview with Sunday Independent on Saturday said the week may provide answers to so many questions that have been flying around.
It would be recalled that since the beginning of last week, there has been conflicting stories making the rounds on whether or not the IGP has been asked by the presidency to proceed on terminal leave.
Our source who said he was not aware of the source of the alleged directive for the IGP to proceed on leave, however expressed doubts if the tenure of Abubakar will not be extended.
Responding to a question on why the IGP's tenure will not be extended, the source said: “How can his tenure be extended? There are many competent officers in the force who have worked closely with the IGP and, in fact, have the capacity to do the job, even better. Therefore, they need to be given the opportunity to bring some innovations into the Force.
“We have many brilliant and intelligent Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) in the Nigeria Police Force who have all it takes to supervise the next election very well and drive the Force to the next level.”
Expressing his concern on the conflicting stories making the round, a Commissioner of Police (CP) in one of the states who pleaded not to be named, in a telephone discussion with Sunday Independent, expressed confident that in a matter of days, the truth will come out.
“Apart from the news we read and heard in the media, I got the information from a trusted source that IGP Abubakar has been asked to go on terminal leave, but we later heard that it was not true. You the journalists should be patient, it is not a strange happening. Whenever a change is about to come to a sensitive place like the police, it always starts with rumours and speculations, but within the next few days, the truth will unfold. If I were the IGP, with this rumours, I will know that my days are numbered and prepare to leave the office.”
It would also be recalled that at the heat of the conflicting stories on Thursday night, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), circulated a statement in Abuja, stating that the police high command was yet to receive any formal communication from the government directing the IGP to proceed on terminal leave.
Daily Independent