President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of AIG Suleiman Abba as the new Inspector‑General of Police.

A statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said AIG Abba, currently the Assistant Inspector‑General of Police in charge of Zone 7, comprising Abuja, Kaduna and Niger states, replaces the incumbent Inspector‑General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar, who proceeds on statutory retirement today (yesterday) having completed 35 years in service.

“The incoming Inspector‑General, a lawyer, hails from Jigawa State and is an alumnus of the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS. 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. His appointment is with effect from today, August 1, 2014″

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Sir Mike Mbama Okiro in a congratulatory message to the new IGP said it was a deserved appointment.

In a statement by Mr. Ferdinand Ekpe, Assistant Director, Information of the commission, Okiro advised him to rise up to the challenges of his new appointment, noting that as a tested officer who had held various Command positions in the Nigeria Police Force, he had no doubt he (Abba) would bring new perspectives in the search for solutions to the security threats confronting the nation.

Until his appointment, Abba was the Assistant Inspector‑General of Police in Charge of Zone 7, Abuja.

He formerly served as the Deputy Force Secretary at Force headquarters and Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Kebbi State Police Command. He was also the Aide de Camp to Mrs. Mariam Abacha. He was also at one time, the officer in charge MOPOL 44 Abuja.

It will be recalled that Vanguard had exclusively reported, yesterday, that President Goodluck Jonathan and the Police council made up of the 36 state governors and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Sir Mike Mbama Okiro (IGP, rtd) settled for the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 7, Mr. Suleiman Abba as the next Inspector General of Police when incumbent, Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar retires after attaining the mandatory 35 years in service by 31st of this month.

The out-going Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar and his successor had earlier met with President Jonathan at the Presidential Villa.

The duo met with the president for less than 20 minutes before driving out of the Presidential Villa. They declined to speak with the press as they drove out together.