The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has clarified that President Bola Tinubu did not grant any extension to the tenure of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun. Instead, the President approved the IGP’s term in strict adherence to the legal framework governing the office.
In a statement released on Friday, September 6, the Force’s spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, explained that Egbetokun’s appointment follows a four-year tenure, as mandated by the law. Adejobi highlighted that there had been widespread misconceptions regarding the IGP’s tenure, but assured that the President’s decision was fully compliant with legal provisions.
Adejobi also noted that the IGP does not need to lobby for any tenure extension, as he has not yet exhausted the years specified in his appointment. The statement read:
“The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to various misleading reports and misinterpretations concerning the tenure of the Inspector General of Police, and we wish to categorically state that what President Bola Tinubu approved for the IGP is not a tenure extension, but rather the lawful application of the regulations governing the IGP’s office.”
He added that an official letter confirming Egbetokun’s appointment was issued by the Police Council shortly after his confirmation.
“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),” Adejobi said.
He further emphasized that the IGP’s appointment is secure under the law, and that false reports claiming otherwise are the result of misinformation.
“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 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,” the statement concluded.
