Abba Suleiman Is New IGP

The Nigeria Police Council yesterday confirmed the appointment of Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Abba Suleiman as the acting Inspector general of Police. If confirmed, he will become the 17th IGP.
The appointment of Abba comes on the heels of the retirement of former IGP Mohammed Abubakar whose tenure expired yesterday.
Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, who confirmed this last night in a statement, said Abba’s appointment as IGP takes effect from today, August 1, while the outgoing IGP, Mohammed Abubakar, is to proceed on statutory retirement.
The statement made available to LEADERSHIP Friday reads: “The incoming Inspector-General, a lawyer, hails from Jigawa State and is an alumnus of the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies ((NIPSS).”
Suleiman was the AIG in charge of Zone 7, comprising Abuja, Kaduna and Niger states.
According to the statement, positions previously held by him in the police include: Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department, FCT Command, Deputy Force Secretary and Commissioner of Police, Rivers State.
The outgoing IGP and the incoming IGP were at the presidential villa where they met with the president immediately after the Council of State meeting. When they came out, the new IGP declined to speak to journalists. He simply said, “Let’s not jump the gun”.
Abubakar told journalists after meeting with the president that he was grateful to Nigerians and the president for giving him the opportunity to serve the country for 35 years.
Congratulatory messages have started to pour in for the new IGP who may be sworn in today.