Usman Baba, the immediate past Inspector General of Police (IGP), says he is pleased to hand over leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to IGP Kayode Egbetokun since they grew up together on the job.
Baba, who spoke on Tuesday at the Aso Villa in Abuja, said life is a stage and people come into office and leave when their time is over.
In a chat with State House correspondent after Egbetokun was decorated with his new rank as IGP, Baba described the event as “very significant”.
“It’s a stage; you come, you work and you go. I’m happy I am handing over to somebody I know that will carry the mantle of leadership from where I have stopped,” Baba stated.
When asked how much of his successor he knows, the ex-IGP said, “We grew up in the job, we grew up together. I was his boss at a time, not even when I was IG; he worked under me twice; we’ve been working together. And I know he can champion the cause of policing.”
Born on September 4, 1964 from the Egbado South Local Government Area of Ogun State, Egbetokun enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet ASP (Course 16) on March 3, 1990. He would clock 35 years in service by September 2024, according to police rules.
Earlier on Tuesday, Vice President Kashim Shettima decorated the newly-appointed IGP with his new rank at a short ceremony at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Shettima was assisted by Egbetokun’s wife, Mrs Egbetokun in the presence of senior government officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma; the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; amongst others.
The new IGP replaced Baba, who was appointed as the IGP by former President Muhammadu Buhari on April 6, 2021.
Baba, from Yobe State, turned 60 on March 1, 2023 and was expected to have retired before the 2023 governorship elections but the then Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi said the Police Act 2020 gave Baba a four-year tenure which cannot be interrupted by retirement age.
However, President Bola Tinubu announced a major shake-up on Monday, June 19, 2023, retiring service chiefs and heads of security agencies including Baba.