President Bola Tinubu has halted a proposed mass retirement of about 30 senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) following the exit of former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the appointment of Acting IGP, Tunji Disu.
Sources within the security establishment disclosed that the presidential intervention stopped the compulsory retirement of several Deputy Inspectors-General (DIGs) and Assistant Inspectors-General (AIGs), a restructuring process that typically follows a leadership transition at the helm of the Force.
Historically, the emergence of a new Inspector-General of Police often triggers the retirement of senior officers, particularly those senior in rank or course to the new police chief.
The practice is aimed at preserving command hierarchy and aligning leadership structures within the Force.
An internal list of officers reportedly marked for retirement included at least eight DIGs occupying strategic departments such as Finance, Logistics, ICT, and Training. Among those said to have been affected were Yahaya Abubakar (Finance), Adebola Hamzat (Logistics), Adebowale Williams (ICT), and Frank Mba (Training), among others.
However, the Presidency intervened before the retirement notices could take full effect.
According to insiders, the decision was informed by the need to provide institutional stability and operational continuity during the transition period.
A senior official familiar with the development said the Acting IGP would require the experience and institutional knowledge of the affected officers to steady the Force at a critical time.
Acting IGP Disu, born April 13, 1966, is scheduled to retire on April 13, 2026, upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60.
Although the amended Police Act provides that an Inspector-General may serve a four-year tenure irrespective of age, sources suggest that Disu may not benefit from such an extension.
There are indications of growing pressure within certain quarters for him to step down strictly in line with his statutory retirement date, in contrast to the circumstances surrounding his predecessor’s tenure.
The immediate effect of the President’s directive is that senior officers earlier pencilled down for compulsory retirement may now remain in service — at least for the time being.
The Police Service Commission (PSC), which oversees appointments and retirements within the NPF, has reportedly paused its retirement process pending further directives.
Observers say the development could significantly alter internal power dynamics within the Force in the coming weeks, particularly as discussions around succession planning intensify.
The move has also reignited nationwide debate over tenure extensions, succession practices, and the broader question of institutional stability within Nigeria’s top law enforcement agency.
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