Moses Jitoboh, a former deputy inspector-general of police, has passed away, as reported by Peoples Gazette.
The Bayelsa native died on Friday morning at Garki General Hospital in Abuja due to complications from blood clots in his lungs, according to The Network, which first broke the news on Friday afternoon. He was 54 years old.
Mr. Jitoboh, who previously served as aide-de-camp to President Goodluck Jonathan, rose rapidly through the ranks of the Nigeria Police Force. However, he is perhaps best remembered as a victim of one of President Muhammadu Buhari’s most glaring acts of nepotism, having been overlooked for the position of inspector-general in favor of Usman Baba Alkali.
In December 2020, The Gazette revealed Mr. Buhari’s attempt to bypass federal law to appoint another officer from the northern region to the top police position. The president denied any wrongdoing after the revelation sparked widespread outrage.
At the time, Mr. Jitoboh was an assistant inspector-general who was swiftly promoted to deputy inspector-general before being forced into early retirement by Buhari’s administration. He had joined the police at a younger age than his colleagues, which led to frequent criticism within the force. Although he was legally entitled to retire in 2029, his departure was viewed as a clear indication of Buhari’s preference for individuals from his northern region, often at the expense of citizens from other areas.
A wrongful termination lawsuit that Mr. Jitoboh filed to challenge his retirement was still pending before the Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court at the time of his death.
