By Adewole Kehinde
“Stones and sticks are thrown only at fruit-bearing trees.” – Sa’di
On 19 June 2023, President Tinubu appointed DIG Kayode Egbetokun to replace IGP Usman Alkali Baba as acting Inspector General of Police.
On November 1, 2023, the police council met and confirmed Acting IGP Kayode Egbetokun as the substantive 22nd Indigenous Inspector General of Police.
The controversy about the tenure of Inspector-General of Police didn’t start with the IGP Kayode Egbetokun. That of Egbetokun’s predecessor, Usman Baba, was not in any way different.
Before he came on board, Section 7(6) of the Police Act of 2020 stated that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) serves a four-year term.
In order to provide stability and continuity in the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force as well as allow the Inspector-General of Police to implement long-term plans and policies without the risk of abrupt termination, the National Assembly on Tuesday passed the Police Act Amendment Bill to enable a person appointed to the office of Inspector General of Police (IGP) to remain in office until the end of the term stipulated in the letter of appointment.
President Bola Tinubu forwarded the bill to the House of Representatives and Senate on Tuesday to amend the tenure of the Inspector General of Police.
“In line with the provisions of Section 8A of the executive bill passed, which amended the Police Act, clearly stating that ‘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 amended section clarified Section 18(8) of the Police Act 2020.
Despite the notice of the amendment across all the media, including Sahara Reporters, it is unfortunate that some mischievous elements, such as Omoyele Sowore, are saying the stay in office of IGP Kayode Egbetokun is “illegal”!
Several individuals and even the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, have made clarifications that those saying the IGP’s tenure is illegal are making baseless and misleading statements.
Some irrational elements even went to the extent of saying, “Another move was to aid Tinubu, who is likely to seek a second term and use Egbetokun and the entire police to his advantage in the 2027 presidential poll before Egbetokun’s tenure elapses.”.
The Nigeria police duties are preventing and detecting crime, protecting people, and upholding the rule of law, among others, as contained in the Police Act as amended, while that of INEC is to organise elections into various political offices in the country. The functions of INEC are contained in Section 15, Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 2 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), so how will Egbetokun take “advantage in the 2027 presidential poll”?
Despite all the information available in the media on the law giving the IGP a four-year tenure of office, the publisher of Sahara Reporters went ahead to still refer to the Inspector General of Police as “illegal IGP.”
On January 28, 2025, the Nigeria Police charged Omoyele Sowore with cybercrime for calling IGP Kayode Egbetokun an ‘illegal IGP.’. He was arraigned on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
He was charged on a 16-count charge. Sowore pleaded not guilty, and he was granted bail conditions within 24 hours that include N10 million with one surety in like sum; the surety must be a responsible individual with a landed property that is not valued below the bail sum, and his international passport must be submitted to the Deputy Registrar of the court.
About three hours after the bail conditions were read to him, the same Omoyele Sowore went on his verified Facebook to post, “It is reported that Kayode Egbetokun, Nigeria’s illegal Inspector General of Police, has hurriedly left a conference in Rwanda to return to Nigeria to address concerns by police cadres regarding his continued unjust, unfair, and illegal occupation of the office of the IGP beyond the expiration of his tenure in 2024, having served for 35 years and also attained the age of 60. The straightforward solution is to retire and allow others to rise through the ranks. #egbetokunmustgo #RevolutionNow”
I am happy that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on Thursday said the continued stay in office by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, is legal.
Fagbemi, in a statement, explained that Egbetokun’s appointment took effect on October 31, 2023.
He, however, added that before his retirement age, the Police Act was amended to allow the occupant of the office to remain and complete the original four-year term granted under Section 7(6) of the Act, even though he has attained the age of 60 years.
This has, therefore, statutorily extended the tenure of office of Egbetokun to October 31, 2027, to complete the four-year tenure granted to him, he said.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Egbetokun’s continuous stay in office is in line with the provisions of the Police Act amended in 2024, which allow the occupant of the office to enjoy a term of four years effective from the date of his appointment as IGP, in this case, the 31st day of October 2023,” Fagbemi said.
He said the advisory was necessary for the guidance of the general public.
If Omoyele Sowore continues to undermine the Constitution, the Nigeria Police should take full legal action against him. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) of Nigeria provides for penalties for criminal offences.
The Constitution is the supreme law of Nigeria, and violations can result in penalties like fines or imprisonment.
To Omoyele Sowore, I will say, “Praemonitus, praemunitus,” to before warned is to before forearmed. “Abo Oro La Nso Fun Omoluwabi”.
Adewole Kehinde is the publisher of Swift Reporters. 08166240846. kennyadewole@gmail.com. @kennyadewole
