Inspector General of Police Usman Baba’s power struggle with the Police Service Commission (PSC) intensified on Friday when Commissioners of Police (CPs) and Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) failed to appear for their promotion interviews. It is believed the senior officers boycotted the exercise on the IG’s directive.
The latest development stems from the IG’s opposition to the PSC’s insistence on deciding CP postings to states ahead of the election. This dispute follows a broader, ongoing battle between Baba and the PSC over the recruitment of constables. Last week, Baba wrote to the commission requesting a suspension of the promotion interview for CPs and DCPs until the new PSC Chairman, Solomon Arase, could assume office. Arase, a retired IG, was appointed substantive chairman by President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) last month, a nomination that has since been approved by the Senate and is expected to be formalised with his swearing‑in soon.
Arase will succeed acting chairman Justice Clara Ogunbiyi, a retired Supreme Court Justice, who took over after former chairman Musiliu Smith resigned in September 2022 due to ill health. Despite the commission’s directive that Baba ask officers due for promotion to attend the interview at its plenary on Friday—where the transfer of CPs to two state commands would also be decided—Baba objected. In a letter dated 30 January 2023, signed by Force Secretary AIG Hafiz Inuwa, Baba asked Ogunbiyi to suspend the plenary until Arase assumed office. The letter, titled “Re: Promotion Interview for Officers from the Rank of CP to AIG and DCP to CP,” stated:
> “Following the appointment of IGP Solomon Arase (retd.) by the President as the substantive chairman of the PSC and his subsequent confirmation by the Senate on 24 January 2023, the IGP respectfully advises that the commission should suspend its plenary to allow the new chairman to resume office.”
The PSC responded, describing Baba’s letter as an affront to the law. In a reply signed by Ogunbiyi, the commission affirmed that the plenary scheduled for 2–3 February would proceed as planned and that officers invited for the promotion interview on 3 February must attend. The response cited the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act, 2001, section 6(2), which states: “The commission shall not be subject to the direction, control or supervision of any other authority or person in the performance of its functions other than is prescribed in this Act.” The IG is not listed as an exception to this provision.
Comments are closed for this story.