‘Buhari not responsible for promotion in Nigerian police,’ Presidency reacts to Magu’s omission from new AIGs’ list

The Presidency on Thursday distanced President Muhammadu Buhari from the omission of the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, from the list of newly promoted Assistant Inspectors-General of Police.

The Police Service Commission (PSC) had earlier on Thursday confirmed the promotion of 24 Commissioners of Police to the next rank of AIGs.

However, the ex-EFCC chairman was conspicuously missing from the list of promoted police officers announced by the PSC’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, in Abuja.

Magu was suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari for alleged financial malfeasance last year.

He had since been replaced as EFCC chairman by Abdulrasheed Bawa.

However, in its reaction to the development, the Presidency in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, said promotion in the Nigeria Police Force was not the responsibility of President Buhari.

The statement read: “President Buhari, or any Nigerian President for that matter, is not responsible for promotions in the police. That is the business of the Police Service Commission. In the case of the gentleman in question, who is currently under investigation, common sense dictates that his eligibility will be determined by that outcome.

“The PSC could have given you the correct position on this if there was an effort to reach them.”