The Police Service Commission (PSC) has announced why Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun is not affected by its recent decision directing all serving police officers who have completed 35 years of service or attained the age of 60 to proceed on immediate retirement.
The PSC weighed in on Monday, February 3, 2025, following widespread criticism and advocacy concerning the office of the current IGP, who had clocked 60 like his retiring colleagues.
Nairametrics reports that human rights activist and journalist Omoyele Sowore is facing a case at a Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged cybercrime charges instituted against him by the Inspector-General of Police.
The police alleged that Sowore referred to Egbetokun as “the illegal IG of the Nigeria Police Force” on his X (formerly Twitter) page and captioned the IGP’s picture with:
“Mediocrity, incompetence, corruption—a country run by characterless people cannot make progress.”
Upon arraignment last Thursday, January 30, 2025, Sowore denied the allegations of cybercrime, insisting in a press interview that the current IGP remains “illegal” in his position.
Twenty-four hours later, on January 31, 2025, the Police Service Commission approved the immediate retirement of senior police officers who had served for more than 35 years or were above 60 years of age, thereby sparking further criticism of the IGP’s continued stay in office.
PSC Responds
- In a statement on Monday, the PSC maintained that its decision was in line with the nation’s existing laws.
The commission stated, “that it does not have the constitutional powers to determine the appointment or exit of the Inspector-General of Police.”
“The Police Service Commission is one of the Federal Executive Bodies established under Section 153(m) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
“By virtue of Paragraph 30, Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution and Clause 6 (1) of the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act, 2001, the commission is charged with the responsibilities of appointment, promotion, dismissal, and exercising disciplinary control over persons holding offices in the Nigeria Police Force (except the Inspector-General of Police),” the PSC explained.
- The PSC stressed that the law is clear on the commission’s mandate, which does not extend to the Inspector-General of Police, who is an appointee of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria based on the advice of the Police Council.
“The commission, at its 1st Extraordinary Meeting of the 6th Management Board on Friday, 31st January 2025, only considered and took a decision on the regularisation of the date of the first appointment of cadet ASPs/Inspector Force entrants.
“This has nothing to do with the Inspector-General of Police or his office.
“The commission at the meeting passionately revisited its decision of 27th and 28th September 2017 and concluded that the earlier decision that Force entrants should have their cadet date of appointment in the Force against the date of enlistment, in its intent and purpose, contradicted the principles of merger of service in the public service and was in violation of Public Service Rule No. 020908 (i & ii), which provides for retirement upon attaining 35 years in service or 60 years of age.”
“It, therefore, set aside the earlier decision,” the PSC added.
- The PSC further explained that it would not break ranks but is comfortable with the powers bestowed upon it by the Constitution and is not interested in seeking additional powers that are not backed by law.
- It noted that it has maintained a close and complementary working relationship with the Inspector-General of Police in the overall interest of the Nigeria Police Force.
- The commission assured that it would continue to support the police force in achieving its constitutional mandate of providing security and maintaining law and order across the nation.
What you should know
Nairametrics reports that Egbetokun was appointed as the new acting IGP barely three months after the Police Service Commission approved his appointment as a Deputy Inspector General of Police, representing the South West geopolitical zone.
- He was a former Chief Security Officer to President Bola Tinubu when he served as Lagos State Governor in 1999.
- Egbetokun, who hails from Egbado South Local Government Area of Ogun State, was born on September 4, 1964, and enlisted in the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet ASP (Course 16) on March 3, 1990.
- Recently, criticisms of the current IGP have intensified online, amid a pending lawsuit filed against his tenure extension by Barrister Maxwell Opara, as well as the prosecution of Sowore by the current IGP.
- Recall that in July 2024, the Senate passed the Police Act Amendment Bill.
- The bill allows an appointed Inspector-General of Police to complete a four-year term in line with Section 7 of the Police Act 2020.
- A public interest organisation, Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA), had threatened to sue President Bola Tinubu if he signed the amended Nigeria Police Act 2020 bill, which stipulates the completion of the IGP’s term, among other provisions.
- The group argued that Egbetokun, who was due to retire in September 2024, ought to proceed on terminal leave and hand over to another credible officer in an acting capacity before the appointment of a substantive Inspector-General of Police, in line with the provisions of Section 215(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
However, in a statement, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on January 30, 2025, acknowledged that Egbetokun’s appointment, which took effect on October 31, 2023, would ordinarily have ended upon his attainment of 60 years of age on September 4, 2024.
However, the AGF, who is the chief law officer of the federal government, explained that before Egbetokun’s retirement age, the Police Act was amended to allow the officeholder to complete the original four-year term granted under Section 7(6) of the Act, notwithstanding his attainment of 60 years.
What this means: The development further deepens the discourse on the tenure of the current IGP. Relevant stakeholders are waiting to hear the court’s decision on the matter.
