The Police Service Commission (PSC) has ordered the immediate retirement of officers above 60 and those who have served for more than 35 years.
PSC reached the decision after its extraordinary meeting, according to the PSC spokesman Ikechukwu Ani said in a statement on Friday.
“The Police Service Commission rose from its first extraordinary Meeting with the approval for the immediate retirement of senior Police Officers who have spent more than 35 years in service and those above 60 years of age,”.
The statement said the commission reversed a 2017 decision that approved that “Force Entrants should have their date of appointment in the Force against the date of their enlistment”.
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“The Commission has passionately revisited its decision and has come to the conclusion that the said decision in its intent and purpose contradicted the principle of the merger of service in the Public service and it is in violation of Public Service Rule No 020908 ( i & ii) which provides for retirement on the attainment of 35 years in service or 60 years of age,” the statement read.
“Accordingly, the Commission at its 1st extraordinary meeting of the 6th Management Board held today, Friday, 31st January 2025, approved the immediate retirement of those officers who have spent more than 35 years in service and those above 60 years of age.”
Ikechukwu said the decision has been communicated to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun for implementation.
The move comes amid calls for the retirement of the IGP owing to his tenure elongation.
President Bola Tinubu appointed Egbetokun as the IGP in June 2023. He replaced Usman Baba. The National Police Council in October 2023 confirmed him as the substantive police chief.
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Section 7 of the Police Act 2020 stipulates that anyone appointed as IGP shall stay in office for four years, Egbetokun who was born on September 4, 1964, was expected to retire last September when he clocked 60.
Also, Section 18 (8) of the Police Act 2020 referenced the civil service rule on retirement. It partly read 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”.
In July 2024, however, the National Assembly passed a bill allowing Egbetokun to stay in office “until the end of the term stipulated in his appointment letter”.
Despite calls for the IGP’s retirement, the Federal Government on Thursday backed Egbetokun’s continued stay. It argued that it was legal.