No Vacancy On The 7th Floor, Louis Edet House, Abuja -By Adewole Kehinde

“Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success” – Napoleon Hill

On June 19, 2023, President Bola Tinubu appointed Kayode Egbetokun as the 22nd Indigenous Inspector General of Police to replace IGP Usman Baba.

According to Section 7(6) of the Police Act 2020, the person appointed to the office of the IGP shall hold the office for four years.

In the past few weeks, the media has been awash with the news of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, staying in office.

The activities of Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, are extremely concerning. This hired apparatus has persisted in using lies, fake news, and evil propaganda to spread publications and unfounded reports against the Nigeria Police Force and Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, particularly regarding classified Nigeria Police internal security operations throughout the nation.

The Nigeria police is governed by law, and the activities of the Nigeria police under the management of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, have not deviated from it.

I recalled that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on the 3rd November 2023 handed IGP Egbetokun’s appointment to him that clearly stated that the President had approved a four-year tenure for him in accordance with the provisions of Section 215(a) and Section 28(c) of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

The Nigeria Police Act 2020, Section 7(6), states that the person appointed to the office of the IGP shall hold the office for four years.

Although Section 18(8) of the Act makes direct reference to the civil service rule on retirement, it states that “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.”

To further strengthen Section 7(6) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020, in July 2024, the national assembly passed a bill seeking to allow the Inspector General of Police to remain in office “until the end of the term stipulated in his appointment letter.”.

The executive bill amended Section 18 of the Police Act 2020 to allow an officer appointed as the Inspector General of Police to serve beyond the current limit of 35 years in service or the age of 60.

“Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (8) of this section, any person appointed to the office of Inspector-General of Police shall remain in office until the end of the term stipulated in the letter of appointment in line with the provisions of Section 7(6) of this Act,” the Act reads.

Despite the relevant laws clarifying the tenure of IGP Egbetokun and creating apathy between Nigerians and the police, Omoyele Sowore and his backers are consciously working to undermine Nigeria’s security policies by using his Sahara Reporters to subtly spread false information and baseless charges against IGP Kayode Egbetokun and the Nigeria Police Force’s management.

In contrast to what certain sly individuals like Sowore and Odinkalu have said, Attorney-General and Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi affirmed on behalf of the Federal Government that IGP Kayode Egbetokun’s continuous tenure in office is lawful and constitutional. A four-year term for the Inspector General of Police Office has been obtained by an amendment to the Police Act, the Minister of Justice said. This is an unambiguous legal stance.

With the above relevant laws and pronouncement by the Attorney-General and Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi, I can say boldly that there is no vacancy on the 7th Floor of the Louis Edet House, Abuja.

Adewole Kehinde is the publisher of Swift Reporters. 08166240846. kennyadewole@gmail.com @kennyadewole