IGP Olatunji Disu addressing senior police officers during his inaugural conference at Force Headquarters, Abuja, on March 4, 2026. Photo: NPF
A security expert and public analyst, Busayo Mogaji, has said that legal provisions, not age or retirement benchmark, determine how long an Inspector General of Police can serve, stressing that extending the IGP’s tenure beyond 60 years of age is within the law.
Mogaji, in a statement on Sunday, said the controversy surrounding the impending retirement of IG Olatunji Disu in April 2026 was unnecessary.
He explained that the Nigeria Police Act & Regulation, 2020, which provided for a four-year tenure for the office, was designed to ensure stability, continuity of leadership, and sustained implementation of reforms in the Force.
He said recent commentary suggesting that the IGP must compulsorily retire upon reaching 60 reflected a misunderstanding of the statutory provisions of the law.
“In a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law, not speculation, agitation, or social media interpretation, clarity must prevail over noise.
“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,” Mogaji stated.
He added that the law was meant to insulate the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force from uncertainties arising from conventional public service retirement rules.
“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 emphasised.
Mogaji urged stakeholders, commentators, and the general public to rely on verified legal frameworks when discussing policing reforms and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force.
“This is not a matter of speculation, social media noise, or public agitation. In a constitutional democracy, clarity must prevail over confusion,” he concluded.
The PUNCH recalled that a similar controversy trailed the extension of the former IGP, Kayode Egbetokun.
Following the controversies, President Bola Tinubu, in 2024, approved the law governing the tenure of the office as required.
The 2024 amendment of the Police Act allowed IGPs to remain in office regardless of attaining the age of 60 or the statutory 35 years of service.
The Punch
