Awka – Usman Alkali Baba, on Wednesday, assumed duty as the Inspector General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Baba was appointed by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, on 6th April, 2021 and takes over from IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, who retired after 35years of service to the nation.
The handing/taking over of leadership between the former and new Police Chiefs was held in a brief but colourful ceremony at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, climaxing with the symbolic handover of the Nigeria Police flag.
The new IGP, who is the 21st indigenous Inspector General of Police, hails from Geidam in Yobe State.
Until his appointment as the acting IGP, he was the Deputy Inspector General of Police in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department.
Meanwhile, Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has asked the newly appointed Acting Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to works towards restoring confidence and dignity of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Osinbajo gave the task on Wednesday when he decorated the acting Inspector-General of Police with his new rank in the conference room of the Vice President’s office in Abuja.
The Vice-President performed the decoration on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on medical check-up in the United Kingdom.
Osinbajo urged the new Police boss to ensure that the NPF lives up to expectation and complies with the rule of law.
“The organisation you are leading is one that is, itself, facing several challenges.
“Your officers work in extremely difficult conditions and some face the threat of super power by terrorists and hostile non-State actors while in the line of duty.
“There is no question at all that there is a lot to be done.
“Under your leadership, the Police must now rebuild some bridges of trust and regain the confidence of the citizens.
“This is an on-going challenge and task that the Police Force and all the senior members of the Police must take on as a responsibility.
“They must continue to rebuild trust with the Nigerian public.”
The Vice President also charged the acting I-G to implement the Community Policing Policy, which had already taken off, as well as restore the dignity of the Nigeria Police.
“You must stamp out the excesses and abuses and the culture of impunity demonstrated by some elements of the force which provoked public outrage against the institution.
“In short, your mission is nothing less than the restoration of dignity and high repute of the policing profession.
“And the continuous oiling of that machinery, that enables it to be one that is respected by the public and the international community.”
Baba, who fielded questions from journalists after his decoration, said he would build on the successes of his predecessor.
According to him, he will rejig the operational strategies of the Police Force.
He also stressed the need for support and cooperation from the public to enable the Police to achieve its mandate of ensuring the safety of lives and property in all parts of the country.
“Nigerians should expect improvement on the security situation and Nigerians should also collaborate and cooperate with us.
“With all the inadequacies we have, we’ll require everybody to be part of policing in this country.
“That is why the emphasis on community policing will continue and the emphasis of collaborating with all other sister agencies will continue.
“We hope to have a better situation very soon,” Baba said.
