Retired senior officers differ on rumoured IG tenure extension

Some retired police officers have disagreed over the rumoured plan to extend the tenure of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Egbetokun, who was appointed on June 19, 2023, is expected to retire on September 4, 2024.

However, his stay in office might be extended if the amendment to the Police Act materialises.

The bill, though passed by the National Assembly, has yet to be signed by President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking in an interview with our correspondent on Monday, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Adedayo Adeoye, urged the President not to sign the bill extending the tenure of IG.

He said, “I know very well that the last has not been heard on that.  Believe me, you can’t do such a thing without asking the populace what they feel about it. Allow the public to say their minds on the bill. My appeal to the President is that he should not sign that bill. I am not against anybody.”

But a retired Commissioner of Police, Lawrence Alobi, welcomed the rumoured planned extension, saying it would allow the IG to perfect his plans for the police.

According to Alobi, such an extension is not new to the Nigeria Police Force.

Alobi said, “The issue of office being tenured is to give the officer the time to plan and then also implement and ensure that his plans are well executed and implemented to achieve the desired results and objectives. When somebody goes to an office within one year or less than two years, and he’s taken away, when does he have to go study the ground,  time to make changes? You can’t just come to an office in less than two years, and you are removed.  What have you achieved?  Because you must leave a legacy. I’m sure the IG wants to leave a legacy.

“Everybody wants to grow in his career. Everybody wants to get to the peak of his career but then the issue of extension is not new to the police.”

A retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Ali Amodu, said the choice was the President’s to make.

He said, “If he wishes to sign it nobody can stop him. He is an executive President and the Constitution gives him the power to sign or reject a bill. Well, people are complaining about what will happen to other people waiting. Will it not affect the career prospects of other officers? It is left for the President to decide.”