How President Jonathan Humiliated IGP Suleiman Abba Out of Office

 

President Goodluck Jonathan deliberately humiliated Police Inspector General, Suleiman Abba, out of office Tuesday, delivering his decision on Twitter without an advanced communication, and leaving Mr. Abba, one of Nigeria’s most criticised police chiefs, at work several hours after his dismissal, Premium Times reports.

By 11.23p.m. Tuesday, more than 10 hours after his removal was announced via the internet, Mr. Abba was yet to receive any brief or correspondence from the president or his representatives informing him of his removal.

A statement following the Twitter message, signed by presidential spokesperson, Reuben Abati, named Solomon Arase, a former Deputy Inspector General, as Mr. Abba’s replacement.


But details of Mr. Abba’s sack, pieced together Tuesday, left no doubt the former police boss, who courted controversies for most of his nine-month tenure, was deliberately disgraced out of office.

Associates of Mr. Abba said for a man to be given this level of rude treatment – they wonder what his sins were after serving the government and the nation.

The statement, signed by Mr. Abati, said Police IG Abba was standing down “with immediate effect”.

Yet, several hours after the announcement, Mr. Abba, without a communication or brief from either the president or any senior administration official, remained at his desk Tuesday, explaining to associates who telephoned to inquire, that he was unaware of a sack.