Just in: Jubilation as Reps amend law to allow IGP Egbetokun stay in office for 3yrs after Retirement age

• The House of Representatives has amended the police act in favour of IGP, barely four weeks after Festus Ogun threatened legal action should the tenure of the police poss be extended
• Ogun noted that the current IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, will clock the retirement age on September 4, adding that he and other concerned lawyers would not allow his tenure to be extended
• However, President Bola Tinubu wrote to the House to amend the police act and allow the IGP to stay in office till the end of the year stipulated in his appointment letter

On Tuesday, July 23, the House of Representatives amended the Police Act to allow the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to stay in office beyond their retirement age. According to the lawmaker, the amendment followed a request from President Bola Tinubu.

This move for the amendment followed a legal threat by a lawyer, Festus Ogun, who, on Monday, July 1, threatened legal action against the federal government should the tenure of the IGP Kayode Egbetokun be extended beyond his retirement age.

House of Representatives amended the police act Photo Credit: @HouseNGR
Source: Twitter

Reps amend police act

According to The Nation, the amendment of the police act would allow the IGP to stay in office for the period stated in his appointment letter.

The police amendment act reads in part:

"Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (8) of this section, any person appointed to the office of Inspector-General of Police shall remain in office until the end of the term stipulated in the letter of appointment in line with the provisions of Section 7(6) of this Act”.

President Bola Tinubu appointed Egbetokun as the IGP in June 2023 for a four-year term set to end in June 2027. By September, Egbetokun would have served only one year and three months, with two years and nine months remaining in his term, considering the current retirement age.

Lawyer threatens legal action against IGP

Ogun noted that the current IGP Egbetoku will reach retirement age by September 4, 2024, and any attempt to extend his tenure would be challenged in court.

His tweet reads:

"On the 4th of September 2024, IGP Egbetokun will clock the retirement age of 60. By that, he ceases to be a member of the Nigeria Police Force and can no longer function in the IGP office. "We will take legal actions if he fails, refuses or neglects to respect our laws."

See the tweet here:

Source: Legit.ng