President Bola Tinubu has reportedly stopped the planned retirement of about 30 senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force following the appointment of Tunji Disu as Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
The affected officers include several Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) and Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), among them Frank Mba (Training and Development), Adebola Hamzat (Logistics and Supply), Yahaya S. Abubakar (Finance and Administration), Adebowale Williams (Information and Communication Technology), Sadiq Idris Abubakar (Force Criminal Investigations Department), and Ben Nebolisa Okolo (Force Intelligence Department).
Their proposed retirement was said to be in line with the long-standing practice of compulsorily retiring senior officers when a junior officer is elevated to the position of IGP, a move aimed at preventing “status reversal” within the command structure.
However, sources disclosed that the President intervened to suspend the exercise, citing the need for continuity and institutional experience within the Force, especially during a leadership transition.
An internal list had reportedly identified at least eight DIGs for immediate retirement after Disu’s emergence. But a Presidency source said the directive was halted to allow the Acting IGP to work with experienced hands as he settles into office.
Disu’s appointment has generated fresh debate, as it comes barely two months before his scheduled retirement. Born on April 13, 1966, he is due to retire on April 13, 2026, upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60.
Although the amended Police Act grants an Inspector-General of Police a fixed four-year tenure regardless of age, there are indications that Disu may not enjoy such an extension. Sources suggest that he may be required to step down upon reaching retirement age, unlike his predecessor who benefited from the tenure provision.
The controversy over forced retirements has significant legal implications. In 2023, following the appointment of a new IGP, the Police Service Commission (PSC) compulsorily retired DIG Moses Ambakina Jitoboh despite his not having reached the statutory retirement threshold.
Jitoboh challenged the decision at the National Industrial Court in Abuja, arguing that the action violated public service rules. In January 2025, the court declared his retirement illegal and unconstitutional, ruling that the PSC lacked the power to retire a senior officer who had neither attained 60 years of age nor completed 35 years of service.
The court also awarded N50 million in damages and ordered payment of his outstanding salaries and allowances. Although Jitoboh died shortly before the judgment was delivered, the ruling has since stood as a precedent, with no appeal filed by the authorities.
Observers say Tinubu’s intervention may be aimed at avoiding further legal disputes and ensuring stability within the police hierarchy during the ongoing transition.
Leave a Reply