A SECRET memo shared on social platforms has shown how President Muhammadu Buhari allegedly extended the public service of Abdulkarim Dauda, a Commissioner of Police who works as his Personal Chief Security Officer (PCSO) to 13th May 2023, two weeks to his handover.
Dauda, who is due for retirement this year from active service, allegedly got an additional four years extension as contained in a memo from the Nigerian Police FORSEC, Abuja.
So far, the chief security officer has been promoted by Buhari twice in two years – June 2016 and July 2018.
Dauda reportedly lobbied Mike Okiro, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) for promotion in 2018.
The memo released by Farooq Kperogi, a US-based Nigerian professor, Wednesday showed that the president approved the service extension today, which invariably implies that the police officer would remain in service beyond 35 years stipulated by the Police Service Commission.
In the letter with reference no: DTO:041500/10/2019 addressed to the Nigeria Police Operations/COMPOL Info-Tech Department, the department was directed to amend its record regarding the service extension.
Source: Farooq Kperogi
“Note that he is Buhari’s biological relative. He is Mamman Daura’s nephew,” Kperogi wrote on his Facebook wall.
Continuing, he said; “Abdulkarim Dauda is actually Mamman Daura’s blood brother and Buhari’s nephew. That means, like Mamman Daura, Buhari is his uncle.”
According to the professor and newspaper columnist, “Abdulkarim Dauda has had one of the fastest promotions in the history of the Nigeria Police. In 2015 when Buhari came to power, he was only a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), but he rapidly rose to the rank of Commissioner of Police in 4 years.”
“That means he went from Chief Superintendent of Police to Assistant Police Commissioner, to Deputy Police Commissioner, and to Police Commissioner in the space of just 4 years! That’s some extraterrestrial supersonic speed!”
In June 2016, Dauda, a graduate of Public Administration was promoted to a DCP by the President. He was promoted alongside ACP Kayode Akande. Dauda joined the force in 1985 while Akande was enlisted in 1990.
When The ICIR contacted the Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police Frank Mba for reaction, his aide said he was in a meeting, and therefore could not answer calls. He advised the reporter to call back at 8:00 pm.
“This is his orderly on the line. He is in the middle of a conference. I don’t know if you can reach out to him later. You can call him around 8 pm.”
When told about the urgency of the call, he instead advised The ICIR to send a text message, which was delivered shortly after, but there was no response till the time of this publication. At about 7:22 pm, another message accompanied by the police signal was shared with Mba but there was still no response. At 8:07 pm The ICIR called again, no response.
Meanwhile, a top rank police officer with whom The ICIR shared the police signal, confirmed that the document is genuine.
Olugbenga heads the Investigations Desk at The ICIR. Do you have a scoop? Shoot him an email at [email protected]. Twitter Handle: @OluAdanikin