The Police Service Commission (PSC) says it has approved the immediate retirement of senior police officers who are above 60 years old or spent over 35 years in service.
A statement on Friday by Ikechukwu Ani, PSC spokesperson, said the commission approved the immediate retirement of the affected officers at the extraordinary meeting of the management board.
Ani said that the commission reversed the decision approved in September 2017 that “force entrants should have their date of appointment in the force against the date of their enlistment”.
The PSC spokesperson said the commission concluded that the September 2017 decision contradicts Public Service Rule No 020908 (i&ii), which stipulates that civil servant should retire on attainment of 35 years in service or 60 years of age.
The development Is coming in the wake of the controversy trailing the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun’s tenure extension.
On Thursday, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said the continuous stay of Egbetokun in office is lawful.
Fagbemi said Egbetokun’s appointment, which took effect on October 31, 2023, remains valid for a period of four years.
On June 19, 2023, President Bola Tinubu appointed Egbetokun as the IGP to replace Usman Baba.
On October 31, 2023, the National Police Council confirmed Egbetokun as the substantive IGP.
According to section 7 of the Police Act 2020, the person appointed to the office of the IGP shall hold the office for four years.
But Egbetokun, who was born on September 4, 1964, was expected to retire on September 4, 2024, when he turned 60 years old.