Presidency: Magu’s Eligibility for Promotion Depends on Outcome of Probe

• PSC elevates 24 CPs, 35 DCPs, 52 ACPs, 50 CSPs

The Presidency yesterday said the eligibility of the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, for promotion in the Nigerian Police will depend on the outcome of the panel that probed his tenure as EFCC boss.

This is coming as the Police Service Commission (PSC) has confirmed the acting appointments of three Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) and also promoted many senior police officers.

There had been recent reports that Magu had been penciled down for promotion from his present rank of Police Commissioner to Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) by the PSC despite the alleged adverse recommendations of the Justice Ayo Salami panel that investigated the allegations.

But in a statement issued by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, denying the involvement of President Muhammadu Buhari in the promotion exercise, the Presidency affirmed that Magu’s fate depends on the outcome of the investigation.

It said: “We will be happy if your paper (not THISDAY) can correct the misinformation published, that President Buhari has ordered the promotion of Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Magu.

“As you can see, the PDP has taken off from there, issuing one of those thoughtless press releases of theirs. President

Buhari, or any Nigerian President for that matter is not responsible for promotions in the Police. That is the business of the PSC.

“In the case of the gentleman in question, who is currently under investigation, common sense dictates that his eligibility will be determined by that outcome.

“The PSC could have given you the correct position on this if there was an effort to reach them.”

PSC Promotes 24 CPs, 35 DCPs, 52 ACPs, 50 CSPs

Meanwhile, the PSC has confirmed the acting appointments of three Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) and also promoted many senior police officers.

A statement signed by Spokesman of the Commission, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, said the commission approved the promotion of 24 Commissioners of Police (CPs) to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs).

It, however, declined the promotion of CP, Ibrahim Magu, former acting Chairman of EFCC.

The decisions were the highpoints of the commission’s 12th Plenary Meeting held on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 6 and 7, 2021, and presided over by the Commission’s Chairman, Mr. Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police (IG).

Similarly, the commission approved the promotion of 35 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), to the rank of Commissioners (CPs), 52 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) to Deputy Commissioners (DCPs) and 46 Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs) to Assistant Commissioners (ACPs).

The commission also considered and approved the promotion of 10 Superintendents of Police (SPs) to the rank of CSPs, 17 DSPs to Superintendents, 139 Assistant Superintendents of Police, whose names were skipped during the last promotion, to Deputy Superintendents and nine Inspectors to Assistant Superintendents of Police.

The commission declined the promotion of CP Magu, pending clearance from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the Office of the Inspector General of Police.

The three DIGs whose acting appointments were confirmed by the Commission were Tijanni Baba who replaced retired DIG Aminchi Samaila Baraya for North-east; Zanna Mohammed Ibrahim, who replaced DIG Ibrahim Larmode (rtd), Northeast, and DIG Moses A. Jitoboh who replaced DIG Ogbizi Michael (rtd) for South-south.

The 24 Commissioners of Police promoted to Assistant Inspectors General of Police were; Usman Nagogo, currently CP Federal Intelligence Bureau, Force Headquarters Abuja; Bala Ciroma, CP, FCT Command; Ahmad Abdurrahman, NIPPS, Jos; Adeleke Adeyinka Bode,

CP, Kebbi State Command; Muri Umar Musa, CP Kaduna State Command; Lawal Jimeta Tanko,( former COMPOL POPOL) and presently Commandant Police Academy, Wudil Kano; Dauda Abdulkarim, Commandant Police Training College, Kaduna; Usman Alhassan Belele, CP Research, and Development, Force Headquarters, Abuja; Adebola Emmanuel Longe, CP. Nasarawa State; Musa Adze, CP Anti-fraud, FCIID, Abuja; Philip Sule, former CP Ebonyi and currently CP, SPU Force Headquarters, Abuja; Usman Sule Gomna, CP Jigawa State Command; Adamu Usman, CP Niger State Command; Daniel Sokari Pedro, Deputy Commandant, Police Academy Wudil, Kano; Ahmed Mohammed Azare, CP Taraba Command; Adamu Saleh Jajeri; Maigana Alhaji Sani, CP FCIID Annex Kaduna; Audu Adamu Madaki, former CP Welfare, presently CP, Benue State; Ibrahim Sani Kaoje; NIPPS; John Ogbonnaya Amadi, CP, Airport Command; Ede Ayuba Ekpeji, CP, Kogi State Command; Mohammed Bagega, Kwara State Command; Bello Makwashi, CP Borno State Command, Buba Sanusi, CP Katsina State Command.

The 35 Deputy Commissioners of Police promoted to Commissioners include; Idowu Owohunwa, Principal Staff Officer to the Inspector General of Police; Babaji Sunday, Deputy Commissioner, Operations, FCT Command, Arungwa

Udochukwu Nwazue, former DCP, Operations, FCT and currently DCP, Ops, Zone 9, Umuahia; Ayuba Elkana, DCP Ops, Zamfara State Command; Mohammed Barde, DCP CID, Borno State Command; Abdullahi Mudasiru, DCP, Force Intelligence Annex Lagos; Salisu Gedeji, DCP, Training FHQs, Abuja; Umar Mohammed Na,Isa DCP Ops, Jigawa; Musa Baba, DCP, Armament, FHQs Abuja; D.D Kromda; Chollong Gyang, DCP, CID Zamfara; and Aliyu Tafida.

Others were Abubakar Lawal; Aliyu Haruna; Alhassan Aminu, Abdul Umar; Vincent Amakiri; Adewale Harry; A.M Williams; Shettima Zanna; Ebong Eribo, DCP Admin, Bayelsa State Command; Adepoju Ilori, DCP, Accounts and Budget, Force Headquarters, Okon Okon, DCP, National Defence College, Abuja; Echeng Echeng, DCP Zone 13, Ukpo; Sussan Horsfall, fomer DCP, CID, Airports Command and presently DCP, CID, Akwa Ibom State Command; Adeshina Morenkeji; Augustine Arop, former DCP, Admin, Akwa Ibom State Command and presently DCP, CID, Osun State Command and Bankole Lanre Sikiru, DCP, Interpol, Lagos, among others.

The 52 Assistant Commissioners of Police promoted to Deputy Commissioners include; Akinbayo Olasunkanmi Olasoji, Area Commander, Area B, Apapa, Lagos; Bello Yahaya, ACP Ops, FIB, Abuja; Bakori A. Ibrahim, former PSO to Inspector General of Police and presently Commandant Bayelsa State Task Force on Operation Doo Apo; Adepoju Olugbenga Adewole, Area Commander P, Alagbon Close, Lagos Sate Command; Ajide Olayinka; Alice Agba; Sadiq Idris; Mustapha Abubakar; Agbo Godwin; Aliyu Iliya; and Samuel Oke.

Some of the Chief Superintendents of Police promoted to ACPs include; Ibrahim Ada Usman; Jatau Hassan Anga second in command, 23 PMF, Lagos; Benjamin Ogungbure; Elechi Raphael Nkem; Shehu Sambo, Makanjuola Abiodun and Abayomi Olugbenga Megbope.

Olusegun Rafiu, Mohammed Awwal yahaya and Ben Kalio were some of the 10 Superintendents of Police promoted to Chief Superintendents, while Erhabor Orobosa Henry was one of the 17 DSPs promoted to Superintendents of Police.

Deputy Commissioners of Police who were due for promotion to Commissioners of Police had earlier appeared before the Commission in Plenary where they were interviewed.

The statement said the Chairman of the Commission, Smith, congratulated the beneficiaries and demanded their commitment to the service of the Nigerian nation and to operate within the laws of the land and with the fear of God.

He said the commission will continue to ensure that promotions in the Police will follow due process and as and when due.