Christopher Oji, Molly Kilete,  Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja  and Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha

The  new Inspector General of Police (IGP) Adamu Mohammed may have reversed the transfer of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Imohimi Edgal who was earlier named to head the Police Ordnance Department (EOD) in Abuja.

The Lagos CP was to swap office with Mr. Kayode Egbetokun. who is presently in charge of the Police Explosive Ordnance Department.

The two officers had arranged for a handing and taking over  ceremony scheduled to hold by 3pm yesterday but as they were having a closed door session preparatory to the handing over, a call allegedly came from the new IGP Adamu Mohammed and  the new IGP ordered that the ceremony be put on hold until further notice .

Edgal who briefed the press in company with Egbetokun said: “Gentle men of the press are you here for the handing and taking over?. Are you here because you love me or you are eager for me to leave?. Well there is a directive that the status quo should remain till further notice. We shall brief you later “.

Egbetokun who came with his chair, other personal effect and his personal staff to take over the Lagos Police Command, took the directive in good faith saying as he leaves the command,  that, “we are government agents and we are always taking directives. Thank you all for coming.”

Edgal who left immediately for  Abuja, to meet with the new IGP received  gun salute from  elated police officers who were cheering  him.

A police wireless message had on Sunday redeployed the commissioner of police in charge of Lagos with immediate effect, appointing Egbetokun in his place.

Egbetokun had  arrived  the Lagos State Command Headquarters, Ikeja on Monday and he was conducted round the command while the handing over was scheduled for 3pm Tuesday .

 A senior police officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity said : “ CP Edgal had removed his belongings since on Monday and Egbetokun  had moved in with his personal staff ,belongings ,including his official chair to take over.  As they were about handing over, the new IGP called and directed that the hand over should stop and status quo should be maintained . The IGP spoke with Edgal and asked him to hand over the phone to Egbetokun .He also spoke with Egbetokun .The two of them immediately complied with the IGP’s directive and jointly addressed the press.”

Meanwhile,  there was jubilation at the police headquarters in Abuja following the appointment of a new Inspector General of Police(IGP), Adamu Mohammed.

The new IGP, who arrived the force headquarters at about 3;30pm after being decorated with his new rank of IGP, received a resounding welcome from officers and men who gathered in their hundreds at the entrance to welcome him and congratulate him.

Adamu who was full of smiles acknowledged the cheers from the crowd as he made his way to the elevator for the seventh floor where he was again received by another group of officers and men who had gathered to welcome him.

The new IGP, after exchanging pleasantries went into his office and had a brief meeting with top senior police officers after which he took a tour of  virtually all the officers on all the floors at the force headquarters assuring them that all hope was not lost.

On some of the floors, personnel who met the IGP one on one, complained about lack of promotion, which they said has resulted in them remaining in one rank for years while their mates and even their juniors have been promoted over and over again because of their alleged connection to the former IGP.

He took time to reassure the personnel and urged them to continue to do their work diligently and not be discouraged.

The IGP left the force headquarters at exactly 6:08pm.

Meanwhile, the appointment of the new a Inspector General of Police (IGP), may result to the immediate retirement of seven Deputy Inspectors General of Police(DIGs), from service.

However their retirement may depend on the decision of the new IGP, especially as some of the DIGs are his course-mates.

The DIGs penciled down for retirement are Maigari Abati Dikko, Department of Finance and Administration,  Joshak Habila, Department of Operations, Emmanuel Inyang Department of Information Communications Technology, Agboola Oshodi Glover, Department of Logistics and Supply, Mohammed Musa, Department of Research and Planning, Sani Mohammed, Department of Training and Development and Peace Ibekwe Abdullah Department of Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence.

Four of the seven DIGs, namely Musa Katsina, Peace Ibekwe Abdullah, Maigari Abati Dikko and Mohammed Sani Usman are course mates of the new IGP.

Daily Sun gathered that while the IGP, may decide to retain his course mates  and work with them, the DIGs, may decide to retire from service after today.

Similarly there are indications that  some Assistant Inspectors General of Police(AIGs), may retire from service of the force, particularly those who have reached the age of retirement.

This is just as the Police Service Commission(PSC), is expected to announce the promotion of new DIGs, in the coming days to fill the vacancy created by those retiring from service.

The promotion of the new DIGs, Daily Sun, gathered may take a few months as it requires some considerations like qualifications, seniority, the political zones they are coming from,  among other criteria, which was not immediately made known to our reporter.

Until that is done, the new IGP, may not be able to form his management team. However, some experts say he can put together a temporary team of officers he would want to work pending the promotion of the DIGs.

It was gathered that about ten AIGs, have been penciled down for retirement in the coming days.

Idris last function as IGP, was the laying of wreath at national cenotaph to mark the  Armed Forces and Remembrance Day celebrations.

President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier decorated former Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu with his  new  rank.

Adamu was led to the Presidential Villa by the former IGP, Ibrahim Idris.

Adamu who is from Nassarawa State, while  assuring that the police will provide a level playing field to all political parties in the coming elections, thanked President Buhari for finding him worthy of the position and promised to be professional in the discharge of his duties.

He said: “I want to thank Mr. President for considering me worthy to be the Inspector General of Police. We know that there are security challenges that we need to tackle in the country. Issues of kidnapping, abduction and other security  challenges. From the strategies put in place by the former IGP, we will restrategize and make sure that we tackle these challenges squarely.”

On the elections, the new IGP said: “You have heard from the former IGP, adequate arrangement has been made to make sure that free, fair and credible elections take place in Nigeria. We are going to build up on the strategies put in place to make sure that we have hitch-free elections in the country.”

Speaking on his neutrality on issues, the IGP replied that, “we are professionals. We are going to stick by the rules, we are going to do the right thing. We will not go outside the ethics of our job to do things that are untoward, everybody will be given level playing ground to play his or her politics.”

Also Indications have emerged  that the case between the police and Senator Dino Melaye, may have to continue irrespective of the change of leadership in the force.

Meanwhile,  The Coalition of the United Political Parties (CUPP), celebrated the exit of former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, from the force, on the attainment of the mandatory 60 years retirement age with, a mock birthday ceremony.

Speaking a in Abuja, the spokesmen of the CUPP, Ikenga  Ugochinyere urged the new acting Inspector General of Police,  Adamu Mohammed to immediately release all politicians detained by Idris on trumped up charges.