11 times northerners assume the IGPs position

It’s has been recorded that the northern state have produced the most Inspector General of Polices (IGP) with a total number of 11 sitting representatives since the position began.

Although some individuals have represented the eastern and southern parts of the country, the northern states have occupied the IGP seats for several years.

With little or no concern as to which region will replace the current IGP, Mohammed Adamu after he leaves office.

Mynigeria.com, in this piece, puts together a list of all the IGPs with a northern background.

Kam Selem

Kam Selem is a former police officer and the second Inspector General of Police of Nigeria. He held the post from 1966 to 1975 during the military rule of General Yakubu Gowon, making him the longest serving IGP in the history of the country.

Kam Selem was from Bama LGA of Borno state-Nigeria who preceded Louis Edet and succeeded by Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu.

At the time of the January 66 coup led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, Kam Salem dealt with the crisis when the Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and others were found murdered.

Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu

Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu also known as MD Yusufu or MD Yusuf was the Inspector General of the police from 1975 to 1979, during the military rule of Generals Murtala Mohammed and Olusegun Obasanjo.

Yusufu in 1998, registered Movement for Democracy and Justice as a political party and in 1999 and 2003, he ran as a presidential candidate on its platform.

MD Yusufu died on April 1, 2015 in Abuja

Adamu Suleiman

Adamu Suleiman was also a Nigerian policeman and former Inspector General who was appointed in 1979 to succeed Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu and was succeeded by Sunday Adewusi in 1981.

Adamu Suleman was promoted to the rank of Inspector General of Police in October 1979 and served under President Shehu Shagari's second Republic until his retirement from the police force in April 1981.

Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta

Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta was a former Inspector General of the police force. He was appointed in 1986 to succeed Etim Inyang and was succeeded by Aliyu Attah in 1990. He was also a National Security Adviser to the then President Ibrahim Babangida.

In 1982, he was promoted as AIG and transferred to Force Criminal Investigation Division, Alagbon Close, Lagos. He became a DIG in 1984 and Inspector General of Police in 1986.

In 2011, the then President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Alhaji Mohammed Gambo Jimeta as a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy.

He died on Thursday 21 January 2021.

Aliyu Attah

Aliyu Atta was a Nigerian Policeman and former Inspector General of police from 1985 to 1986

He was appointed in 1990 to succeed Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta and was succeeded by Ibrahim Coomassie in 1993.

Ibrahim Coomassie

Ibrahim Coomassie was a Nigerian police officer and the 9th Inspector General of Police who served between the year 1993 and 1999 under the military governments of Generals Sani Abacha and Abdulsalami Abubakar. He died on Thursday 19 July 2018 after a protracted illness. He was 76 years old.

Alhaji Musiliu Adeola Kunbi Smith

Alhaji Musiliu Adeola Kunbi Smith was an Inspector General Police of Nigeria, who was appointed in May 1999.

Smith was appointed the inspector general of police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29, 1999.

Smith followed instructions from President Olusegun Obasanjo by refusing to follow up on charges of certificate forgery laid against Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, saying the court could not compel the police to do the investigation.

On 1 February 2002, the Nigerian Union of Policemen called a partially successful strike. Smith was asked to retire by Olusegun Obasanjo in March 2002.

Hafiz Ringim

Hafiz Ringim was a Nigerian Policeman and former Inspector General of Police.

He was appointed in 2010 to succeed Ogbonna Okechukwu Onovo and was succeeded by Mohammed Dikko Abubakar in 2012.

Suleiman Abba

Suleiman Abba is a retired Nigerian police officer who served as the 17th Inspector General of Nigerian Police. He was appointed as acting IGP on 1 August 2014 by President Goodluck Jonathan and later confirmed as substantive IGP on 4 November 2014. Before the appointment, Abba was serving as the Assistant Inspector-General in Charge of Zone 7, Abuja. IGP, Suleiman Abba was sacked 21 April 2015 because of noticeable indiscipline in the Nigerian Police Force in the buildup to the 2015 general election.

Ibrahim Idris Kpotun

Ibrahim Idris Kpotun was a Nigerian police officer and former Inspector General of Police. He was appointed to this position by President Muhammadu Buhari on 21 March 2016, serving till his retirement in January 2019. He replaced Solomon Arase, who retired from the police force on 21 June 2016.

Prior to his appointment, he was an Assistant Inspector General of Police (Operations), FHQ Abuja. He also led the Police Mobile Force as well as the Kano State and Nasarawa State police commands in Nigeria while serving in the rank of Commissioner of Police.

Mohammed Abubakar Adamu

Mohammed Abubakar Adamu is currently the Inspector General of Police who is said to be bowing out.

He was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 15, 2019 to replace Ibrahim Kpotun Idris (rtd). Mohammed Adamu is from Lafia, Nasarawa State.

Before his appointment as Inspector General of Police, he was an Assistant Inspector-General of Police in Benin City, Edo State and was responsible for the overall management and operations of the NPF Zone 5, comprising Bayelsa, Delta and Edo State police command.