Retirement; Time new IG of Police will leave office revealed
Retirement; Time new IG of Police will leave office revealed
A legal practitioner and Chief Executive Officer of Western Eagle Ltd, Busayo Mogaji, has said ongoing public debate about the tenure of the Inspector-General of Police stems from a misunderstanding of the law governing leadership of the Nigeria Police Force.
Mogaji clarified that the tenure of the current police chief, Olatunji Disu, is guided by provisions of the Nigeria Police Act 2020, which established a fixed four-year tenure for the office of the Inspector-General of Police.
In a statement, he said claims that Disu must automatically leave office upon reaching the age of 60 in April 2026 do not accurately reflect the statutory framework regulating the position.
According to him, the Police Act reforms were introduced to ensure stability and continuity in the leadership of the Force.
“The legal and statutory framework guiding the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force clearly provides that the tenure of the Inspector-General of Police is not determined solely by the conventional public service retirement benchmarks of age 60 or 35 years of service,” Mogaji stated.
He explained that the introduction of a fixed tenure was intended to shield the office from disruptions caused by general public service retirement rules.
Mogaji noted that the arrangement allows the Inspector-General to pursue long-term institutional reforms and strategic policing programmes without the uncertainty associated with routine retirement limits.
“Public commentary suggesting that the tenure of the Inspector-General automatically terminates upon attainment of the age of 60 does not fully reflect the clear statutory framework established by the Police Act reforms,” he added.
The lawyer further stressed that discussions on leadership within public institutions should be guided by an accurate understanding of the law rather than speculation.
“The law remains clear. The tenure of the Inspector-General of Police is firmly anchored in statute and must be interpreted in accordance with the provisions enacted by the National Assembly and assented to by the President,” he said.
Mogaji also urged commentators and stakeholders to rely on verified legal interpretations when discussing governance and institutional leadership issues within the police force.
