President Goodluck Jonathan
has fired Nigeria’s Inspector
General of Police, Suleiman
Abba.
The sack was announced by
the president’s spokesperson,
Reuben Abati, in a statement
on Tuesday.
No reason was given for the
sack.
A Deputy Inspector General of
police, Solomon Arase, was
appointed to act in his stead.
Mr. Abba’s removal and the
assumption of office of his
replacement are with
immediate effect.
Mr. Abati’s statement read in
full, “President Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan has relieved the
Inspector-General of Police,
Mr. Suleiman Abba of his
appointment and duties with
immediate effect.
“President Jonathan has also
appointed Deputy Inspector-
General of Police, Mr. Solomon
Arase, as Acting Inspector-
General of Police, also with
immediate effect.
“Until his appointment as Mr.
Abba’s replacement, Mr. Arase
was the Head of the Force
Criminal Intelligence and
Investigation Department.
“Mr. Arase holds Bachelors and
Masters Degrees in Law, as
well as Bachelors and Masters
Degrees in Political Science and
Strategic Studies.
“He is also a Fellow of the
Nigerian Defence College.”
Mr. Abba, 56, became acting
Inspector General on August 1,
2014 following the retirement
of his predecessor, Mohammed
Abubakar, after 35 years of
public service.
He was confirmed substantive
IGP on November 4, 2014.
Mr. Abba was until that
appointment an Assistant
Inspector General, AIG, in
charge of Zone 7 command, a
position he occupied since May
25, 2012. He was also a former
Aide-De-Camp, ADC, to the wife
of a former military Head of State,
Maryam Abacha.
With his removal, Mr. Abba will proceed
on forced retirement four years before he
attains retirement age.
He enlisted in the Nigerian police as cadet
inspector on December 31, 1984 and is
actually due for retirement on March 22,
2019.
Read more about Mr. Abba’s era as Police
IG below:
Suleiman Abba and
the Making of a
Partisan Police, By
Femi Falana
Nigeria Police As An
Institution Of
Regression