News

Compulsory Retirement: Ex-IG Usman Baba Breaks Silence

Published

2 years ago

June 21, 2023

The former Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba said he is leaving the Nigeria Police Force, NPF better than he met it.

Baba stated this when he officially handed over the mantle of leadership of the Force to the acting IG, Kayode Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja on Wednesday.

The outgoing IGP added that he believes he added value to policing in Nigeria.

Baba said, “As I exit the leadership of the Force today, I believe that I am leaving it better than I met it. I believe that I have added value to policing in Nigeria. I hold the firm conviction that steady progress has been made in all the components of my promise to change policing narratives and in our journey to restore the dwindling police primacy within the internal security architecture of the country.

“We might not be there yet, but certainly the pathways have been clearly defined, firm foundations built, and giant strides were taken for the new Force leadership to leverage on in his quest for a better Police Force.”

The ex-IG further noted that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration set out to positively change the policing narrative of the country by laying out a well-articulated vision and mission objectives.

He said, “In this regard, I pledged to address the welfare concerns of serving and retired officers and enhance the operational capacity of the Force through the procurement of critical operational assets.

“I also set out to reposition the special detachments of the Force, particularly, the Marine, Air Wing, Special Forces, Police Mobile Force, Counterterrorism Unit, and Special Protection Unit, while also striving to enhance the intelligence capacity of the Force through the push for the upgrade of the Technical Intelligence assets of the Nigeria Police.

“In addition, my vision was to modernise the environment in which police operate across the country in order to make them befitting and fit for purpose. This informed the concept of modern police stations and barracks, as well as the model State Police Headquarters and Model Police hospital, which were constructed across the country, and the remodelling of the Force Headquarters.

“My vision was to also evolve a Police Force in which abuses associated with the promotion regime will be addressed and the process made credible enough to truly motivate personnel, while the age-long challenge of rank stagnation will also be tackled.

“I also envisioned a Force that will adapt to modern dynamics of crime. Hence, the establishment of the Nigeria Police National Cybercrime Centre with the support of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“Aside from this, my leadership projection was to enhance the manpower profile of the Force and deepen the professional knowledge of officers in coping with the challenges of policing a diverse nation as ours and optimally managing the complex dynamics of modern crimes and internal security threats.

“This informed the push for the sustenance of the recruitment drive, and the huge investment in training and capacity building across all ranks,” Baba added.

News

NiMet Predicts Three-day Rain, Thunderstorms From Monday

Published

8 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

News

JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan

Published

14 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.

The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.

Details later…

News

JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees

Published

14 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.

These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.

The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.

The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.

The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.

By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.

The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.

“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”

Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.

“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.

“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.

He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.

“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”

In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.

He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.

He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.

Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.

According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.

This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.