The National Assembly has passed the Police Act Amendment Bill to empower an individual appointed to the office of Inspector General of Police (IGP) to stay in office for the rest of the tenure specified in the letter of appointment.
President Bola Tinubu passed down the Bill to the Green Chamber and Red Chamber to amend the tenure of the IGP.
The Bill for an Act to amend the Nigeria Police Act 2020 sought to ensure the tenure of the IGP and revolutionize police tasks by advancing accountability, modernizing policing techniques and cultivating a more amicable rapour between the police and the community.
The Bill quickly passed second and third readings and was passed by lawmakers in both lower and upper chambers. The green and red chambers passed the bill at separate sittings.
President Tinubu is expected to sign the Bill into law.
Earlier in July, the police denied allegations that IGP Kayode Egbetokun attempted to lobby the National Assembly on a bill looking to raise the retirement age of officers.
The President appointed Egbetokun as the IGP in June 2023 for four years. He was appointed close by other four new service chiefs.
As per Section 18(8) of the Police Act 2020, Egbetokun, who was born on September 4, 1964, is expected to resign in September 2024, when he will be 60 years old.
He would only have been in office for one year and three months by September, with two years and nine months remaining of his four-year appointment.
The debate about the tenure of IGP didn’t begin with the current police chief. That of Egbetokun’s predecessor, Usman Baba, was not in any way unique. Baba clocked 60 years old in March 2023 and achieved the mandatory 35 years of service, yet he stayed in office till Tinubu appointed Egbetokun as his replacement three months later.
