As Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, approaches retirement, uncertainty clouds his retirement due to a recent amendment to the Police Act.
Egbetokun is scheduled to retire on September 4, when he turns 60.
The Police Council confirmed him as substantive IGP on October 31, 2023.
However, recent legislative changes may alter his retirement plans, if the President signs the bill into law.
This Executive Bill, passed by the National Assembly in July 2024, allows the President to extend the IGP’s tenure beyond 35 years of service or 60 years of age, enabling the IGP to complete a four-year term.
The bill’s retroactive application to Egbetokun remains in debate as President Tinubu is yet to sign the bill into law.
Officers from the ranks of Commissioners of Police (CPs), Assistant Inspectors-General (AIGs), and Deputy Inspectors-General (DIGs) are actively lobbying for the top position amidst this uncertainty.
Sources within the police indicate that if the president does not sign the amendment, Egbetokun will be required to retire as scheduled.
Conversely, if the amendment is signed into law, the president could extend Egbetokun’s tenure, impeding the career progression of other senior officers.
However, there is ongoing debate about whether the amendment should be applied retroactively to Egbetokun.
Egbetokun’s future hinges on the President’s decision regarding the amendment.
