By BASHIR ADEFAKA and ABIRHIRE THOMAS…reporting from Abuja
Alhaji Usman Alkali Baba has formally retired from service as Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Approval by President Bola Tinubu of his retirement along with all the service chiefs was announced via a statement from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) Monday night.
The immediate past IGP, after witnessing event of the new police chief’s decoration with his new rank of IGP by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday, said that he was happy passing the baton of leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to him because he and Egbetokun grew up together on the job.
Baba said life is a stage and people come into office and leave when their time is over.
In a chat with State House correspondents after Egbetokun was decorated, Baba described the event as “very significant”.
“It’s a stage; you come, you work and you go. I’m happy I am handing over to somebody I know that will carry the mantle of leadership from where I have stopped,” Baba stated.
When asked how much of his successor he knows, the ex-IGP said, “We grew up in the job, we grew up together. I was his boss at a time, not even when I was IG; he worked under me twice; we’ve been working together. And I know he can champion the cause of policing.”
Born on September 4, 1964 from the Egbado South Local Government Area of Ogun State, Egbetokunj enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet ASP (Course 16) on March 3, 1990. He would clock 35 years in service by September 2024, according to police rules.
Earlier, Vice President Kashim Shettima decorated the newly-appointed IGP with his new rank at a short ceremony at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Shettima was assisted by Egbetokun’s wife, Mrs Egbetokun in the presence of senior government officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma; the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; amongst others.
The new IGP replaced Baba, who was appointed as the IGP by former President Muhammadu Buhari on April 6, 2021.
Baba, from Yobe State, turned 60 on March 1, 2023 and was expected to have retired before the 2023 governorship elections but the then Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi said the Police Act 2020 gave Baba a four-year tenure which cannot be interrupted by retirement age.
However, President Bola Tinubu announced a major shake-up on Monday, June 19, 2023, retiring service chiefs and heads of security agencies including Baba.
