The Nigeria Police announced on Friday that President Bola Tinubu did not approve a tenure extension for Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
The police noted that instead, the President gave his approval to the law governing the tenure of the office as required.
The IG’s continued stay in office has sparked widespread controversy, especially as Egbetokun officially reached the mandatory retirement age of 60 on September 4.
According to the Police Act, police officers are expected to retire upon reaching the age of 60 or after 35 years of service.
Although there was a move to amend the retirement age of police officers as stated in the Act, it has yet to fully materialise.
The bill, though passed by the National Assembly, has yet to be signed by Tinubu.
This, however, fuelled speculations that the president had extended the tenure of the IG, with many reports citing a letter by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
Speaking after a prolonged silence on the issue, the police in a statement by the Force’s Spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi said that the IG’s appointment letter granted him a four-year tenure from the date of his appointment
He added that this was in accordance with the provisions of Section 215(a) and Section 28(c) of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
Adejobi said, “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to various misleading reports and misinterpretations concerning the tenure of the Inspector General of Police, and wishes to categorically state that what President Bola Tinubu approved for the IGP is not an extension of tenure, but rather the proper application of the law governing the tenure of the office of the IGP.
“Contrary to the misinformation being circulated on social media and in the news, an appointment letter in circulation was issued to the IGP shortly after his appointment was confirmed by the Police Council. This letter, dated 3rd November 2023, clearly stated that the President had approved a four-year tenure for the IGP in accordance with the provisions of Section 215(a) and Section 28(c) of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”
Adejobi stated that the IG does not need to lobby for any tenure extension as he has yet to use the years stated in his. appointment letter.
He said, “It is important to emphasize that the IGP does not need to lobby for any tenure extension as his appointment letter explicitly grants him a four-year tenure from the date of his appointment. The ongoing circulation of false information is the handiwork of pessimists and mischief makers who are determined to spread baseless narratives against the office and the personality of the IGP for obvious reasons and pecuniary gains.”
The spokesman also stated that the IG had been given another letter in accordance with the provisions of the Police Act, 2020 (as amended), which supersedes his appointment letter.
He said, “Furthermore, the IGP has since been issued with another letter in accordance with the provisions of the Police Act, 2020 (as amended), which supersedes the earlier correspondence. This clarification is necessary to put an end to the speculations and falsehoods being spread.
“We urge the public to disregard the unfounded reports and to trust that the tenure of the IGP is in full compliance with the laws governing the Nigeria Police Force. In clear terms, the IGP’s tenure of office is not subject to unnecessary debate and should not be a source of perennial distraction to the policing system in Nigeria. The law is sacrosanct.”
PUNCH