The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday decorated the new Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun with his new rank at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The new Police Chief after the brief event that took place at the State House, Abuja said: “Now I have just been decorated and I am looking forward to taking over tomorrow morning by 11 am.
“I really can’t describe how I feel presently, but if I have to tell you anything, I will tell you that right now I feel like Tiger inside of me ready to chase away all the criminals in Nigeria. And some other time, I feel like a lion in me ready to devour all the internal enemies of Nigeria. That’s my feeling right now”.
The immediate past IGP, Usman Alkali Baba said: “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 stooped”.
Alkali Baba, speaking on the capabilities of the new Police Chief said, “we grew up in the job, we grew up together, I was his boss at a time or even when I was IG. He worked under me twice, we’ve been working together and I know how he can go ahead to champion the course of the police from where I stopped”.
In attendance were National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodinma; the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume and the immediate past IGP, Usman Alkali.
Credible News recalls that President Bola Tinubu approved the immediate retirement of the Chief of Defence Staff, all the nation’s Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali, and the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali.
The President on Monday also approved the appointment of a new IGP and other security chiefs.
Credible News reports that the new IGP is scheduled to retire from the Nigeria Police Force on September 4, 2024 following the civil service rule, which requires retirement at 60 years old or after 35 years of service, whichever comes first.
If Egbetokun is confirmed as the IG, Tinubu’s appointment will be similar to that of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who previously appointed a police officer due for retirement within his tenure as the tenure for an IG is four years, following the Police Act, 2020.