The Integrity Youth Alliance has enlightened the ignorance of online media that says the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has amended his official retirement date to October 31, 2027.
In a press release on Monday, 27th January 2025, signed by the Alliance’s Publicity Secretary, Danjuma Lamido, Egbetokun didn’t amend his official retirement date to October 31, 2027, as mischievously published by Sahara Reporters.
“It is unfortunate that the publisher of Sahara Reporters has stooped so low to dish out false information. Egbetokun never manipulated the system to extend his tenure.
“Section 7(6) of the Police Act of 2020 states that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) serves a four-year term.
“Section 18, subsection (8A) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020 (as amended) states that “Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (8) of this section, 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 purpose of this section is to ensure stability in leadership and continuity in policing strategies.
“The baseless statement that Egbetokun “bribed his way out of the National Assembly for the amendments bill to facilitate his elongation” is laughable because the bill was an executive bill sent by President Bola Tinubu and passed by the National Assembly in relation to the appointment and tenure of the office of the Inspector General of Police, so we wonder how the IGP “bribed his way out of the National Assembly for the amendments.”?
“We challenge Sahara Reporters and its fictitious source to provide evidence that “some veteran journalists at certain media houses, allegedly on his payroll, have been influenced to downplay the matter, which might explain why he remains in office.”.
“We are challenging those ignorant saying Egbetokun’s “staying in office is in clear violation of existing labour laws” to approach the court rather than baseless blackmail embarked upon.
The Alliance further challenged Sahara Reporters to show evidence that “Egbetokun was behind the bill and had allocated a significant amount of funds to lobby for its passage.”.
“It is unbecoming of the misguided, failed presidential candidate to resort to blackmail to gain cheap popularity towards his another failed attempt at the presidency come 2027.
“We advise that the Inspector General of Police institute a legal action against Sahara Reporters and its publisher for being the purveyors of fake news that Sahara Reporters is widely known for, the statement concluded.
