TheCable

Maxwell Okpara, an Abuja-based lawyer, has asked a federal high court sitting in the federal capital territory (FCT) to stop Mohammed Adamu from ”parading himself” as the inspector-general of police (IGP). 

Adamu who was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 had on Monday clocked the mandatory 35 years in service, and was expected to have been replaced by the president.

Okpara, in the suit, with number FHC/ABJ/CS/106/2021, is challenging Adamu’s stay in office as IGP beyond February 1, 2021, when he ought to have retired.

He listed Adamu, Buhari, Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), and the police council as defendants in the suit.

The lawyer, claiming the office of the IGP became vacant on February 1, said Buhari failed to appoint a new IGP.

“That the second defendant though, no longer a serving police officer, continued to function as the Inspector-General of Police, sitting in the office of the Inspector-General of Police and adorning the official uniform of an Inspector-General of Police,” part of the suit read.

“Whether the failure of the president and the Nigeria Police Council to appoint an IG on February 1, 2021 does not constitute abdication of their duties under Section 215 of the Constitution and Section 7 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020.”

He asked for an order restraining Adamu from “parading himself as IG or exercising any form of command or control over the Nigeria Police Force not being a serving police officer”.

He also prayed for another order mandating the president and the police council to immediately appoint a new IGP in line with the provisions of section 7 of the Police Act.

Despite the speculations about his retirement, Adamu is still performing his duties as the IGP. On Tuesday, he was at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to receive the president who was returning from Katsina.