President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigeria Police Council are facing legal action at the Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged unlawful extension of the tenure for the current Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun.
The lawsuit, filed by Abuja-based Public Interest Litigation lawyer and human rights activist Maxwell Opara, challenges the legality of Egbetokun’s continued service under the amended Police Act.
Opara’s suit seeks an injunction to prevent Egbetokun from continuing to serve as the IGP, arguing that according to Section 9 of Chapter 2 of the Public Service Rules 2023, public servants are required to retire at 60 years of age or after 35 years of service, whichever comes first.
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Egbetokun, who turned 60 on September 4, 2024, is the central figure in the lawsuit, which lists him along with the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Police Council, President Tinubu, and the Federal Civil Service Commission as defendants.
The legal challenge raises questions about whether officers of federal executive bodies, like the Nigeria Police Force, are subject to the same public service rules as other federal employees.
Opara contends that the extension of Egbetokun’s tenure is unlawful and that any appointment terminated by law cannot be reinstated by subsequent amendments.
The suit, supported by an 18-paragraph affidavit, seeks several declarations, including that Egbetokun’s continued service beyond the age of 60 violates public service rules and that only actively employed, non-retired police officers are eligible to serve as IGP.
The court has yet to schedule a hearing date for the case, which could have significant implications for the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force.
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