Police confirm Egbetokun’s stay in office as IGP for three more years

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has said President, Bola Tinubu did not extend the tenure of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, as being speculated, but merely applied the law governing the tenure of IGPs properly.

The Force spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday Abuja.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the speculations that President Tinubu had extended Mr Egbetokun’s tenure few days before he clocked the retirement age of 60.

The IGP, who was appointed in July 2023, was born on 4 September 1964 and was expected to leave office upon attaining the retirement age.

The presidency and the police did not respond to the speculations at the time.

But in the statement, Mr Adejobi explained that what the president approved for the IGP was not an extension of tenure, but rather the proper application of the law governing the tenure of the office of the IGP.

He added that shortly after Mr Egbetokun’s appointment was confirmed by the Police Council, President Tinubu, in November last year 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.

“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, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, and wishes to categorically state that what His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, 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),” he said.

Meanwhile, in July this year, the National Assembly hurriedly passed a bill amending the Police Act.

This amendment included a new clause under Section 8, which contradicts the Service Act’s provision that public servants must retire after 35 years of service or at 60 years of age.

It says, “Notwithstanding any other provision, every police officer shall serve in the Nigeria Police Force for 40 years or until they reach the age of 65, whichever comes first.”

Mr Adejobi said 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 clearly 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 spokesperson said.

Read full statement below

In reply, please quote;

Ref No. CZ.5300/FPRD/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.6/228 Date: September 6, 2024

The Director of News

…………………………….

PRESS RELEASE

IGP 4 YEARS APPOINTMENT NOT A RECENT DEVELOPMENT, IN LINE WITH EXTANT LEGAL PROVISIONS

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, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, and wishes to categorically state that what His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, 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).

It is important to emphasise 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 clearly 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.

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, IGP’s tenure of office is not subject to unnecessary debate and should not be a source of perennial distraction to policing system in Nigeria. The law is sacrosanct.

ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,

FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

FORCE HEADQUARTERS,

ABUJA.

6TH SEPTEMBER 2024.