The Police Force headquarters in Abuja has said that what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, approved for the Inspector-General, Kayode Egbetokun’s regarding his appointment “is not an extension of tenure, but rather the proper application of the law governing the tenure of the office of the IGP”.
In a statement on Friday by its spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force headquarters said it made the clarification in response “to various misleading reports and misinterpretations concerning the tenure of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun”.
The statement read: “Contrary to the misinformation being circulated on social media and in the news, an appointment letter in circulation was issued to the IGP shortly after his appointment was confirmed by the Police Council.
“This letter, dated 3rd November 2023, clearly stated that the President had approved a four-year tenure for the IGP 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).
“It is important to emphasise that the IGP does not need to lobby for any tenure extension as his appointment letter explicitly grants him a four-year tenure from the date of his appointment.
“The ongoing circulation of false information is clearly the handiwork of pessimists and mischief makers who are determined to spread baseless narratives against the office and the personality of the IGP for obvious reasons and pecuniary gains.
“Furthermore, the IGP has since been issued with another letter in accordance with the provisions of the Police Act, 2020 (as amended), which supersedes the earlier correspondence.
“This clarification is necessary to put an end to the speculations and falsehoods being spread.
“We urge the public to disregard the unfounded reports and to trust that the tenure of the IGP is in full compliance with the laws governing the Nigeria Police Force.
“In clear terms, IGP’s tenure of office is not subject to unnecessary debate and should not be a source of perennial distraction to policing system in Nigeria. The law is sacrosanct”.
