IGP can stay in office till 2024, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has deposed to a counter-affidavit, in which he said the Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu could remain in office till 2023 or 2024. Equally, Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation, deposed to a similar affidavit. Both are respondents in the suit filed by a lawyer Maxwell Opara at the Federal High Court.

Okpara is challenging Adamu’s continued stay in office after putting in the statutory 35 years in service. President Buhari extended Adamu’s tenure, first by three months despite the statue.

In their counter-affidavits, Buhari and Malami said Okpara “failed to discharge the legal burden of proof that the 2nd defendant (Adamu) is not a serving police officer for the purposes of extension of his tenure in office.”

Also during the proceedings, the judge Ahmed Mohammed urged proper service on the Nigeria Police Council. The judge said the improper service of the originating processes on the NPC was why it failed to appear in the matter.

The suit was fixed March 30 for hearing.