The expectations of Nigerians for the appointment of a new Inspector General of Police IGP may have been dashed, going by IGP Adamu’s declaration that the law permits his stay in office for more years.
The police boss disclosed this in court while responding to a suit filed against the tenure extension granted him by President Muhammadu Buhari.
TheFact Nigeria had reported that Adamu attained the maximum 35 years in service on February 1, but got a three-month extension and in reaction, an Abuja-based lawyer, Maxwell Opara, filed a suit to challenge it.
According to the IGP in documents filed to counter a suit challenging the three-month extension granted him by President Muhammadu Buhari, the law permits him to remain in office till either 2023 or 2024.
He said the new Nigeria Police Act gave him a four-year tenure which would only lapse in either 2023 or 2024. He argued that his tenure will lapse in 2023 if counted from 2019 when he was appointed as the IGP, or 2024, if counted from 2020 when the new Nigeria Police Act came into force.
The IGP’s position is contained in the counter-affidavit and notice of objection he filed against a suit filed by a lawyer, Maxwell Opara before the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging Adamu’s continued stay in office beyond February 1.
In the documents filed by his lawyer, Alex Iziyon (SAN), Adamu contended that the office of the IGP is not governed by the general provisions applicable to the rest of the police force.
The IGP noted the provision of “section 18(8) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 which is that ‘Every police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for a period of 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier,’ is with due respect, inapplicable to the office of the Inspector General of Police in the circumstance.”
