By Milcah Tanimu
President Bola Tinubu is set to inaugurate the newly constructed Nigeria Police National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja. According to a statement released on Tuesday by Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the commissioning ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has forwarded the Police Act Amendment Bill to the House of Representatives, seeking to amend the tenure of the Inspector General of Police (IGP). This proposed amendment addresses the contentious issue surrounding the retirement age and tenure of the IGP.
The current IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, appointed in June 2023 for a four-year term, is at the center of this legislative adjustment. Born on September 4, 1964, Egbetokun is mandated to retire in September 2024 when he turns 60, which would cut short his tenure to just one year and three months of the four-year term.
Earlier in July, the Nigeria Police Force refuted claims that IGP Egbetokun attempted to lobby the National Assembly for a bill to extend the retirement age of officers. The issue of tenure adjustment also affected Egbetokun’s predecessor, Usman Baba, who remained in office beyond his retirement age of 60 in March 2023 until his replacement by Egbetokun.
If passed, the bill is expected to provide clarity and stability in the leadership of the Nigerian police force, ensuring that the IGP can serve the full term as appointed without abrupt retirement due to age constraints.
