Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun and the Police Service Commission are flexing muscles over the retirement of senior police officers who have either exceeded 35 years in service or are above 60.
While the Police Service Commission had ordered immediate retirement of the affected officers, IGP Egbetokun countered the order, asking all the police-related departments to stay action pending further directive.
A wireless message from the office of the Force Secretary, dated February 11, 2025, stated that the IGP “strongly directs all officers affected by the PSC’s directive to stay action, pending further instruction.”
Officers were told to comply strictly with this order.
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Recall that in July 2024, the Nigeria Police Force finally agreed to the list of successful applicants for the 2022 constable recruitment exercise released by the Police Service Commission.
A dispute arose between NPF after the PSC released the list of 10,000 successful applicants for constable and specialist cadre roles in the Nigeria Police Force on June 4, 2024.
The police had rejected the list, alleging that the recruitment exercise was marred by corruption and irregularities.
However, the commission vowed not to cancel the list, prompting the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam and other stakeholders to step into the matter.
PSC Directs police officers to retire
Last Friday, the PSC had approved the retirement of police officers above 60 years old or have spent 35 years in service.
The PSC took the decision at an extraordinary meeting, citing Public Service Rule which provides for the retirement on attainment of 35 years in service or 60 years of age.
A statement by Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations Officer, announcing the decision Friday did not provide any clue of how many officers may be affected.
But the statement said the commission had at its 24th Plenary Meeting of 27 and 28 September 2017 approved that the Force Entrants should have their date of appointment in the Force against the date of their enlistment.
It added, “The Commission has passionately revisited their decision and has come to the conclusion that the said decision in its intent and purpose contradicted the principle of merger of service in the Public service and it is in violation of Public Service Rule No 020908 ( i & ii) which provides for retirement on attainment of 35 years in service or 60 years of age.
“Accordingly, the Commission at its 1st extra ordinary meeting of the 6th Management Board held today, Friday, 31st January 2025, approved the immediate retirement of those officers who have spent more than 35 years in service and those above 60 years of age,” the statement added.
The development implies a complete purge from the police service all age mates of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, who despite crossing 60 in September last year will remain in service.
Mr Egbetokun’s stay in office was made possible by a controversial amendment to the Police Act last year which saw his tenure extended to 2027.
PSC’s mass retirement of officers caught by the public service rule came at a time when activist Omoyele Sowore’s recent social media post describing Mr Egbetokun as an illegal IGP reignited public interest in the controversial circumstances under which the amendment extending his tenure was carried out.
The police on Monday charged Mr Sowore with cybercrimes over his claim.
However, the assertion has gained traction online since Mr Sowore’s prosecution started, prompting the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister, Lateef Fagbemi, and the Nigerian Police Force to explain the legal basis for extension of Mr Egbetokun’s tenure.
The amendment, proposed as an executive bill and passed almost immediately after it was introduced at the National Assembly on 23 July 2023, drew a public uproar with many questioning the motive behind it.
The bill, passed with supersonic speed, scaled second and third readings on the same day, it was introduced at both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Both chambers passed the bill that same day.
Mr Egbetokun — born September 1964 and clocked 60 last September — was enlisted into the Force in 1990 and appointed the Inspector General by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023.
Straightnews gathered that Nigeria Police Act Section 18(8) says: “Every police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for 35 years or until e]he attains the age of 60 years.’’
Also, Public Service Rules; 7 Rule 020810 of Chapter two (2) of the Public Service Rules (PSR) (i) The compulsory retirement age for all grades in the Service shall be 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service whichever is earlier. (ii) No officer shall be allowed to remain in service after attaining the retirement age of 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier.
