President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the tenure of Mohammed Adamu as the inspector general of police (IGP) by three months.
Mr Adamu was due to retire from the police last Monday having spent the maximum 35 years in service.
The extension of his tenure was announced on Thursday by the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammad Dingyadi, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Mr Adamu and some other top officials of the Nigerian Police Force retired on Monday, after spending the maximum number of years in service.
The IGP, who joined the service on February 1, 1986, attained the mandatory 35 years in service.
Aside the IGP, three Deputy Inspector-Generals of Police and 10 Assistant Inspector-Generals of Police attained the maximum service year.
The DIGs are former EFCC Boss, Ibrahim Lamorde, Aminchi Baraya and Nkpa Inakwu.
The affected AIGs are Nkereuwem Akpan, Olafimihan Adeoye, Agunbiade Labore, Undie Adie and Olugbenga Adeyanju.
Others are Asuquo Amba, Mohammad Mustapha, Jonah Jackson, Olushola Babajide and Yunana Babas.
All other top police officers have proceeded on retirement, except for Mr Adamu who according to sources sought tenure extension.
Reason for extending Adamu’s tenure
Mr Dingyadi,,while briefing journalists in the State House, said the extension was necessary to give room for the proper selection of a successor.
“Mr President has decided that the present IGP, Mohammed Adamu, will continue to serve as the IG for the next three months, to allow for a robust and efficient process of appointing a new IG,” the minister said.
“This is not unconnected to the desire of Mr President to, not only have a smooth handover, but to also ensure that the right officer is appointed into that position.
“Mr President is extending by three months to allow him get into the process of allowing a new one.”
On whether or not the president’s action has created a lacuna, the minister said there was none since he (President) can decide to extend the tenure.
He also described reports of the IGP’s retirement as a social media story which he said the government has no control over.
Extension Contravenes Police Act
By extending the IGP’s tenure, the president has contravened the amended Police Act 2020 which he personally signed into law.
Section 7 (6) fixes a single term of four years without an option of extension of tenure for the holder of the office of the Inspector-General of Police.
“A person appointed to the office of the Inspector-General of Police shall hold office for four years,” it read.
Section 18 (8) of the Act also states that “Every police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the police force for 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier.”
Precedence
Mr Buhari had in the past extended the tenure of heads of military and paramilitary organisations.
The most recent are that of the immediate past heads of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) who also got tenure extensions beyond their retirement ages.
The immediate past service chiefs led by former Chief Of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin also got an extension twice after attaining retirement age.
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