By Isioma Madike



Following the imminent end of the tenure of IGP, Ibrahim Idris, who has clocked the statutory 35 years in active service, many have been pressurizing the President, Muhammadu Buhari to appoint his successor. It is believed in many quarters that leaving Idris beyond January 15, when he will attend the mandatory 60 years in service would amount to illegality.

The main opposition party, the PDP, has, on a number of occasions reminded the president of the sacred provision of Section 215(1) a of the 1999 Constitution on this issue. The section of the constitution clearly holds that the President can only appoint a serving Police Officer as Inspector General of Police. Idris from Kutigi, Lavun in Niger State was born on January 15, 1959. He enlisted into the Nigerian Police Force in 1984 after graduating from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with a Bachelors degree in Agriculture. President Buhari, who says he has been too reluctant to change service chiefs because of the intense competition it would engender, has indicated that he would act when Idris retires.

This position by the president has elicited interest. There are now speculations that he might extend Idris’ tenure until after the coming general elections. There are those who also believe that Buhari might use the appointment to assuage the South-East region and as a strategy to split the vote of the region, which produces the vice presidential candidate of the PDP. In this zone, there are two known top officers; one a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, a woman, and the other an Assistant Inspector General of Police. Both of them were course mates and promoted into the AIG rank at the same time.

However the odds seem to favour the later. Although Peace Ibemere Abdallah, who is at present the DIG Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation (CIID), Abuja, is said to be a highly effective, versatile and professional police officer. But given the increasing crime wave and sophistication of criminals believed to be mostly men, many are of the opinion that the country may not be ripe yet for a female IG. For Godwin Nwobodo, currently in charge of the Nigeria Police Border Patrol Force, he is believed to be a thoroughbred professional police officer and highly cosmopolitan and detribalised.

He was born on August 12, 1959, to the family of Mr. & Mrs. Samuel and Margret Nwobodo of Aninri Local Government Area, Enugu State. Nwobodo obtained a B.Sc (Honours) degree in Biochemistry in 1983 from the University of Ibadan, and served in the NYSC scheme in 1984 in Ondo State. He enlisted in the Nigerian Police Force effective December 31, 1984.

Since enlisting in the police force, he has acquired more knowledge and degrees. The AIG currently holds an LL.B, BL (Law), M. Sc in Legal Criminology and Security Psychology as well as MSS (Masters Strategic Studies) both from the University of Ibadan, effectively equipping him as a complete intelligence and robust crime-bursting and combating officer, versed in law and criminology.

Almaiga:
Trash.
This is impossible, after constantly insulting the North. The Igbo's want the North to appoint one of their Sons as the IG of police? Karyan ku.
Dream on.

Kokolet11:
your comment is one of the reason your zoo will remain backward. son and son everywhere.

Shawnnn01:
Buhari as to be mad if he appointed any from the East.

Almaiga:
Trash.
This is impossible, after constantly insulting the North. The Igbo's want the North to appoint one of their Sons as the IG of police? Karyan ku.
Dream on.