society

Adhere strictly to law, group charges Tinubu on appointment of new IGP

Published

3 years ago

June 16, 2023

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.

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society

Lagos 2027: Obasa hosts Hamzat, Promises Support for Governorship Bid

Published

7 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Sahara Weekly

Lagos 2027: Obasa hosts Hamzat, Promises Support for Governorship Bid

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, on Thursday, played host to Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat at his official residence in GRA, Ikeja, promising to galvanise his expansive political structure to ensure Hamzat’s victory at the forthcoming governorship election.

Dr Hamzat is the presumptive APC candidate for the Lagos governorship seat, and the engagement was part of his ongoing strategic consultations with All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders and leaders.

Speaker Obasa extolled Hamzat’s pedigree, commitment to infrastructure development, and loyalty to the party, adding that for the continued development of Lagos State, every discerning electorate must rally round him.

“I just returned from Abuja, and the conversation remains the same – Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat is the next Governor of Lagos State. You have demonstrated unquestionable loyalty to our great party and even greater competence in serving Lagos. We love you, we support you, and we will do everything to ensure that we win the election,” Speaker Obasa declared.

Responding, Dr Hamzat expressed gratitude for the warm reception while highlighting Obasa’s legislative experience and political network, which he said are invaluable. He reiterated his focus on collaborative governance, saying, “Lagos is a collective project. My consultations are not about personal ambition but about ensuring continuity, innovation, and inclusive development for our people,” Hamzat said.

society

Police Repel Coordinated Kidnap Attack In Sokoto, Launch Manhunt

Published

13 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Sahara Weekly

Police Repel Coordinated Kidnap Attack In Sokoto, Launch Manhunt

Security operatives in Sokoto State have foiled a coordinated kidnapping attempt by armed bandits targeting two communities, killing one suspect and launching a manhunt for others who escaped with injuries.

According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Ahmad Rufa’i, the operation was carried out in the early hours of Thursday following a distress call received at about 12:30 a.m. reporting simultaneous attacks on Illela Village, also known as Achida Town, and Kwargaba Hamlet.

“The Anti-Kidnapping Unit, in collaboration with other tactical teams, responded swiftly to the distress call,” he said. “Our operatives, who were already on high alert, engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel and successfully repelled the attack.”

Rufa’i disclosed that the security forces overpowered the assailants after a prolonged exchange of gunfire, neutralising one suspect who was dressed in military camouflage, while others fled with gunshot wounds into the nearby Gundumi Forest.

“An intensive manhunt is ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects who escaped into the forest with varying degrees of injuries,” he added.

However, before the arrival of security personnel, the bandits reportedly shot and killed a member of the Kwargaba community vigilante group. His body has since been recovered and released to his family for burial.

The police spokesperson urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movements or individuals to the nearest security agency, assuring that efforts are being intensified to ensure the safety of lives and property across the state.

society

The Kendrick Brothers, Cameron Arnett, Kingdom Story Company, Bright Wonder Obasi Train 60 Christian Filmmakers in Nigeria

Published

15 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Sahara Weekly

The Kendrick Brothers, Cameron Arnett, Kingdom Story Company, Bright Wonder Obasi Train 60 Christian Filmmakers in Nigeria

Abuja, Nigeria – April 23, 2026

Successful actors, producers and movie makers like; the Kendrick Brothers, Cameron Arnett, Kingdom Story Company, Bright Wonder Obasi were among the facilitators who trained 60 Christian Filmmakers in Nigeria at the just concluded Africa Gospel Film Project (AGFP) 2026.

The groundbreaking 6-day Intensive Filmmaking Masterclass and Spiritual Formation Program, were 60 emerging Christian filmmakers from Nigeria and Zambia were trained in Abuja was held at the Gospel Cinema International /High Definition Film Academy (HDFA) Facility in Gwarinpa.

The program brought together a distinguished lineup of facilitators from Nigeria and the United States, positioning AGFP as a leading platform for faith-based filmmaking development in Africa.

Among the international facilitators was Stephen Kendrick of the Kendrick Brothers, known for films such as The Forge, War Room, Facing the Giants, and Courageous, Overcomer, Fireproof, who delivered a powerful session titled “Heart of The Filmmaker.” Also featured was Cameron Arnett, who led sessions on “Christ Over Career” and acting for film.

Other notable speakers included Nick Carey (Kingdom Story Company), who spoke on “The Making of a Faith-Based Blockbuster Movie,” as well as Bob Saenz (Screenwriting Masterclass), Beverly Holloway (Acting Masterclass), David Cook, Adam Drake, Prince Daniel (Aboki), Lummie Adevbie, Chris Odeh, and Jennifer Keltner (Identity & Storytelling), among others.

The program opened with a strong spiritual foundation, including worship and a keynote by the Convener, Bright Wonder Obasi, titled “Calling & Identity: Film as Spiritual Influence/Programming,” which challenged participants to view storytelling as a tool for cultural and spiritual transformation.

Participants were grouped into four production studios—House of Gideon, House of Caleb, House of Joshua, and House of David—and underwent three days of intensive masterclasses and workshops across screenwriting, directing, cinematography, acting, editing, and producing, alongside deep spiritual formation.

On Day 4, teams developed and pitched short film concepts for professional review and approval. Day 5 was dedicated to full-scale production, with all four teams executing their projects under real industry conditions.

The program culminated on Day 6 with:

A Pitch-A-Thon, where 20 filmmakers presented original projects for funding and collaboration.

A public screening of four short films produced during the program

Professional feedback from a panel of judges.

Certification of all participants

Awards for best Screenplay, Cinematography, directing, editing, acting, and overall best short film.

The closing ceremony featured a powerful commissioning session led by Pastor Ikenna Okeke, where participants were prayed for and consecrated as “God’s Creative Army.”

Speaking after the event, the Convener, Bright Wonder Obasi, described AGFP 2026 as “a movement to raise storytellers who will shape culture and influence nations through truth-driven films.

Films that honor God”

With its successful debut, AGFP is now preparing for its next edition, following its mandate to train 300 Christian filmmakers across Africa and develop a slate of six global faith-based films over a three-year period.

The Africa Gospel Film Project continues to position itself as a catalyst for purpose-driven storytelling, industry excellence, and spiritual transformation in African cinema.