IGP tenure: Court dismisses suit seeking Alkali Baba Usman’s sack

By Andrew Orolua

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed a suit seeking the removal of Alkali Baba Usman as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) following his run out date as police officer.

Alkali Baba Usman a serving police officer and a public servant ought to retire on March 1st, 2023.

An Abuja activist, Michael Sam Idoko has brought the action against President Muhammadu Buhari and four others after the minister of Police Affairs declared that Baba will serve out his four years tenure.

Delivering judgment on the suit Justice John Omotoso held that the current IGP Alkali Baba Usman is serving a four years tenure appointment.

In his judgment, Justice Omotoso invoked section 7 (6) of the Police Act 2020 which put the tenure of office of any Inspector General of Police at four years.

The Judge held that the retirement of Alkali Baba Usman from the Nigeria Police Force has nothing to do with his appointment on the ground that the four years tenure is sacrosanct.

Besides, Justice Omotoso said that the plaintiff who claimed to be a social crusader has no jurisdiction in instituting the case under the guise of public interest.

He held that the plaintiff failed to establish having any peculiar or special interest over and above other Nigerians.

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Specifically, Justice Omotoso described the plaintiff as a busy body and meddlesome interloper adding that he was not a serving police officer qualified for appointment or ever applied for IGP’s position and denied adding that he has no legal right to file the suit.

Idoko, through his Counsel, Chief James Ogwu Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, had filed the suit challenging the legality of the continuous stay of the IGP in office having served out his tenure.

The suit marked FHC/ CS/ 31/2023 was subsequently dismissed without any cost against the plaintiff.