society
Adhere strictly to law, group charges Tinubu on appointment of new IGP
Adhere strictly to law, group charges Tinubu on appointment of new IGP
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been advised and called upon to regard strict adherence to the provision of the law as the primary consideration in the appointment of the next Inspector General of Police.
A civil society organisation, the Nigerian Civil Society Contact Group, CSCG, an amalgam of many Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organisations, with a primary focus on good governance and human rights, made the submission at a media briefing on Thursday.
Tinubu is expected to announce a replacement for the current IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, who should have exited office in March after reaching the compulsory retirement age of 60 years, but was retained by immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari.
In the statement titled, The Next Inspector-General of Police Must Be Appointed According to Law and in The Best Interest of Nigeria’s Security, Engineer Taiwo Akindolu, Director-General of CSCG, noted that while former President Buhari blatantly disregarded the provision of the law in the appointments of the three IGPs that served in his eight years governing the country, especially the current occupier of the office, President Tinubu must not emulate those unconstitutional steps that could re-ignite controversies and a judicial logjam that surfaced in the past administration.
Akindolu said the Police Act 2020 signed into law by former President Buhari clearly stipulates the requirements for the appointment of an Inspector General of Police, warning that any action outside of the provision of the law could breed controversy which the new government can ill afford.
He reckoned that Section 7 Paragraph 6 of the Police Act 2020 says that the person to be appointed to the office of the Inspector-General of Police shall hold office for four years while Paragraph 2 of the same section of the law also states that such appointee shall be a senior police officer not below the rank of an Assistant Inspector-General of Police with the requisite academic qualifications of not less than a first degree or its equivalent in addition to professional and management experience.
Akindolu submitted: “We strongly advise President Tinubu to uphold the rule of law in the appointment of a new IGP. The former President was ignobly reputed for disobeying the law which he blatantly demonstrated in the appointment of Usman Baba barely one year after he signed the new Police Act into law. As of the date of his appointment, Usman Baba was 58 years old and stepped into an office with a four-year tenure when he had just two years left in the service. His appointment has since been nullified by a High Court in Anambra State, and we could have avoided the national embarrassment if Buhari had done the right thing by obeying the law.
Stressing further, he noted, “It behoves on Mr President not only to ensure a prudent adherence to the laws guiding the appointment of an IGP but must also take other fundamental variables into consideration, particularly with regard to Section 7(6) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 which states that the person appointed to the office of the Inspector-General of the Police shall hold office for four years.
“In the wisdom of the drafters of this section of the Act, it follows that while making the choice of who to be Nigeria’s Police IG, the president and the Police Council must pay special attention to ensure that whoever is being chosen has at least four more years or above to serve in the Nigerian Police before retirement.
“We take this position because if policemen and officers, by law, are to retire at age 60 or after serving 35 years in the Police, for any officer to remain in service beyond the statutory age of retirement is tantamount to illegality and a direct violation of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.
“Appointing a Police officer who has just a few months or two years or less to retire as Police IG defeats the purpose or the intendment of Section 7(6) of the Police Act, he noted.”
According to the group, an officer nearing retirement cannot have the same zeal, focus, and energy that the demanding office of the IGP requires and cannot aggregate the capacity to run the office productively.
The group further observed that the law, with the provision of a four-year tenure, it satisfied the need to appoint an IGP that will have the time frame to develop his plans and vision and execute the same in the interest of the Force and Nigeria.
“We urge President Tinubu to appoint only candidates who have up to four years and above in service and the process should be conducted in consultation with the Police Council as stipulated by both the Police Act and the Nigerian Constitution.
“Apart from acting in consonance with the Police Act, we hope the President will consider geopolitical balancing, managerial competence, merit, qualifications, capacity, and unblemished records.”
The group cautioned Tinubu against repeating the action of previous governments that promoted Commissioners of Police to the rank of AIG with the sole intention of making them IGP which inevitably led to the premature retirement of their seniors who are usually AIGs and DIGs.
Akindolu said in the statement that, “Such action has not only proved counter-productive but has robbed the country of fully taking advantage of the resources invested in these officers that were prematurely retired. We strongly advise the new government to run away from the unwholly practices of previous governments, which elevated parochialism and nepotism, and then lowered the standard of professionalism in the police.
“Therefore, we passionately appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to judiciously look into this concern and make sure that the next IGP has more than four years to remain in service. Not only that. The next IGP must be one with the intellectual capacity and the physical attributes to withstand the rigors of his office.”
“The democratic credentials of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu include fighting for the adherence to the rule of law, institutional, and constitutional due processes. Therefore, we believe that he will bring this to bear in considering all the factors that will inform the choice of the next IGP,” he said.
The group also urged the former Speaker, House of Representatives, and presently Chief of Staff to the President, Right Honorable Femi Gbajabiamila not to relent in calling the attention of the President to this salient point of law, considering the significant roles he played during legislation on this crucial matter by ensuring that the 4-year tenure Bill was passed into law.
According to the CSCG, it would be counterproductive if Gbajabiamila fails to play his role in ensuring that the rule of law is followed by the president.
Ramadan: Adron Homes Felicitates Muslims, Preaches Hope and Unity
Adron Homes & Properties Limited has congratulated Muslim faithful on the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan, urging Nigerians to embrace the virtues of sacrifice, discipline, and compassion that define the season.
In a statement made available to journalists, the company described Ramadan as a period of deep reflection, spiritual renewal, and strengthened devotion to faith and humanity.
According to the management, the holy month represents values that align with the organisation’s commitment to integrity, resilience, and community development.
“Ramadan is a time that teaches patience, generosity, and selflessness. As our Muslim customers and partners begin the fast, we pray that their sacrifices are accepted and that the season brings peace, joy, and renewed hope to their homes and the nation at large,” the statement read.
The firm reaffirmed its dedication to providing affordable and accessible housing solutions to Nigerians, noting that building homes goes beyond structures to creating environments where families can thrive.
Adron Homes further urged citizens to use the period to pray for national unity, economic stability, and sustainable growth.
It wished all Muslim faithful a spiritually fulfilling Ramadan.
Ramadan Mubarak.
society
Underfunding National Security: Envelope Budgeting Fails Nigeria’s Defence By George Omagbemi Sylvester
Underfunding National Security: Envelope Budgeting Fails Nigeria’s Defence
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com
“Fiscal Rigidity in a Time of Crisis: Lawmakers Say Fixed Budget Ceilings Are Crippling Nigeria’s Fight Against Insurgency, Banditry, and Organized Crime.”
Nigeria’s legislature has issued a stark warning: the envelope budgeting system; a fiscal model that caps spending for ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) is inadequate to meet the country’s escalating security challenges. Lawmakers and budget analysts argue that rigid fiscal ceilings are undermining the nation’s ability to confront insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, separatist violence, oil theft and maritime insecurity.
The warning emerged during the 2026 budget defence session for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) at the National Assembly in Abuja. Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC‑Kebbi North), chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, decried the envelope system, noting that security agencies “have been subject to the vagaries of the envelope system rather than to genuine needs and requirements.” The committee highlighted non-release or partial release of capital funds from previous budgets, which has hindered procurement, intelligence and operational capacity.
Nigeria faces a multi‑front security crisis: persistent insurgency in the North‑East, banditry and kidnappings across the North‑West and North‑Central, separatist tensions in the South‑East, and piracy affecting Niger Delta oil production. Despite declarations of a national security emergency by President Bola Tinubu, lawmakers point to a “disconnect” between rhetoric and the actual fiscal support for agencies tasked with enforcement.
Experts warn that security operations demand flexibility and rapid resource allocation. Dr. Amina Bello, a public finance specialist, said: “A static budget in a dynamic threat environment is like sending firefighters with water jugs to a forest fire. You need flexibility, not fixed ceilings, to adapt to unforeseen developments.”
The Permanent Secretary of Special Services at ONSA, Mohammed Sanusi, detailed operational consequences: irregular overhead releases, unfulfilled capital appropriations, and constrained foreign service funds. These fiscal constraints have weakened intelligence and covert units, hampering surveillance, cyber‑security, counter‑terrorism and intelligence sharing.
Delayed capital releases have stalled critical projects, including infrastructure upgrades and surveillance systems. Professor Kolawole Adeyemi, a governance expert, emphasized that “budgeting for security must allow for rapid reallocation in response to threats that move faster than political cycles. Envelope budgeting lacks this essential flexibility.”
While the National Assembly advocates fiscal discipline, lawmakers stress that security funding requires strategic responsiveness. Speaker Abbas Ibrahim underscored that security deserves “prominent and sustained attention” in the 2026 budget, balancing oversight with operational needs.
In response, the Senate committee plans to pursue reforms, including collaboration with the executive to restructure funding, explore supplementary budgets and ensure predictable and sufficient resources for security agencies. Experts warn that without reform, criminal networks will exploit these gaps, eroding public trust.
As one policy analyst summarized: “A nation declares a security emergency; but if its budget does not follow with real resources and oversight, the emergency remains rhetorical.” Nigeria’s debate over envelope budgeting is more than an accounting dispute; it is a contest over the nation’s security priorities and its commitment to safeguarding citizens.
Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrates as She Marks Her Birthday
Today, the world and the body of Christ rise in celebration of a rare vessel of honour, Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba, fondly known as Eritosin, as she marks her birthday.
Born a special child with a divine mark of grace, Rev. Mother Eritosin’s journey in God’s vineyard spans several decades of steadfast service, spiritual depth, and undeniable impact. Those who know her closely describe her as a prophetess with a heart of gold — a woman whose calling is not worn as a title, but lived daily through compassion, discipline, humility, and unwavering faith.
From her early days in ministry, she has touched lives across communities, offering spiritual guidance, prophetic insight, and motherly counsel. Many testify that through her prayers and teachings, they encountered God in a deeply personal and transformative way. Near and far, her influence continues to echo — not only within church walls, but in homes, families, and destinies reshaped through her mentorship.
A mother in every sense of the word, Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba embodies nurture and correction in equal measure. As a grandmother, she remains energetic in purpose — accommodating the wayward, embracing the rejected, and holding firmly to the belief that no soul is beyond redemption. Her life’s mission has remained consistent: to lead many to Christ and guide them into the light of a new beginning.
Deeply rooted within the C&S Unification, she stands tall as a spiritual pillar in the Cherubim and Seraphim Church globally. Her dedication to holiness, unity, and prophetic service has earned her widespread respect as a spiritual matriarch whose voice carries both authority and humility.
As she celebrates another year today, tributes continue to pour in from spiritual sons and daughters, church leaders, and admirers who see in her a living reflection of grace in action.
Prayer for Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin)
May the Almighty God, who called you from birth and anointed you for His service, continually strengthen you with divine health and renewed vigour.
May your oil never run dry, and may your prophetic mantle grow heavier with greater glory.
May the lives you have nurtured rise to call you blessed.
May your latter years be greater than the former, filled with peace, honour, and the visible rewards of your labour in God’s vineyard.
May heaven continually back your prayers, and may your light shine brighter across nations.
Happy Birthday to a true Mother in Israel — Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin).
More years.
More anointing.
More impact.
If you want this adapted for a newspaper page, church bulletin, Facebook post, or birthday flyer, just tell me the format and tone.
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