Police: Egbetokun not lobbying lawmakers for passage of retirement age bill

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has denied the report claiming that Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police (IGP), is lobbying the national assembly on a bill seeking to raise the retirement age of officers.

In a statement on Monday, Muyiwa Adejobi, the force spokesperson, said Egbetokun did not “personally initiate” the proposed amendment to the Police Act of 2020.

BACKGROUND

In May, a bill seeking to raise the retirement age of police officers scaled second reading at the house of representatives.

Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house, and Abubakar Yalleman, a lawmaker from Jigawa, sponsored the bill, which proposes to raise the retirement age of police officers from 60 to 65 and from 35 to 40 years of service.

The bill seeks to amend section 18 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.

However, an online report recently claimed that Egbetokun had allegedly budgeted some funds to lobby the lawmakers to pass the bill.

In June 2023, President Bola Tinubu appointed Egbetokun as the IGP.

According to section 7 of the Police Act 2020, the person appointed to the office of the IGP shall hold office for four years.

But Egbetokun, who was born on September 4, 1964, is expected to retire in September 2024, when he will be 60 years old.

Section 18(8) of the Act, which makes direct reference to the civil service rule on retirement, states: “Every police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for a period of 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier.”

Usman Baba, Egbetokun’s immediate predecessor, also faced the same fate in March 2023, when he clocked 60 years old and attained the mandatory 35 years of service.

Despite the controversy over tenure extension, Baba remained in office after he turned 60 until President Tinubu appointed Egbetokun as his replacement.

‘NOT FOR PERSONAL GAIN’

Adejobi said the bill for the amendment to the Police Act was “originally introduced during the 8th national assembly but did not progress beyond the initial stages”.

The force spokesperson said Egbetokun’s advocacy for the bill was borne out of “genuine belief in his potential” to improve the working conditions of officers and the security situation in the country.

“The misleading publications allege that IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun personally initiated this bill to prolong his tenure as the 22nd indigenous inspector-general of police and has allegedly invested significantly in lobbying lawmakers to facilitate its passage,” the statement reads.

“It is vital to clarify unequivocally that the bill was originally introduced during the 8th assembly but did not progress beyond the initial stages before the assembly’s dissolution.

“It is standard legislative practice to review and update laws to align with current national realities.

“To understand the true motivations behind this initiative, one need only look at the inspector-general’s steadfast commitment to reforming the Nigeria Police Force.

“His advocacy for this bill stems from a genuine belief in its potential to improve the conditions of service for police officers and thereby bolster security nationwide, rather than seeking personal gain. It comes from the place of duty rather than benefit.”