President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Kayode Egbetokun as Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on Monday, June 19.
The appointment followed the President’s order on the immediate retirement of former IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, along with all Sservice chiefs, advisers and Comptroller-General of Customs.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Director of Information, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Willie Basssey, on Monday.
Egbetokun was the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Tinubu when he was governor of Lagos between 1999-2007.
He was born on September 4, 1964, in Ogun state and holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Mathematics.
Egbetokun also has a post-graduate Diploma in Computer Science, and a Masters’ degree in Engineering Analysis from the University of Lagos, Akoka.
He worked as a lecturer at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, before joining the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in 1990.
He had served in several capacities, including as Commissioner of Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Commissioner of Police Servicom at the Force Headquarters Abuja, Deputy Commandant Police College, Ikeja, and Commandant, Police Training School, Ikeja.
He was Area Commander, Gusau, Zamfara state, and Osogbo, Osun state.
Egbetokun’s immediate predecessor, Baba, had continued serving as IGP despite attaining the retirement age of 60 on March 1, 2023.
In May, a Federal High Court in Anambra declared his extended stay illegal and ordered him to desist from parading himself as IGP.
“It is important to observe that the Inspector-General of police is a public servant and by virtue of the fact that he is a member of the staff of the Nigeria Police Force, an authority established from the Federation by Section 214 (1) of the Constitution and in the subject of the Federal Public Rules 299 (PSR) thereof which provides for the compulsory retirement of all grades of public service officers at the age of 60 or 35 years of service, whichever comes first.
“In the instant case, the 2nd Defendant’s (Mr Baba) birthday comes first. By the said Rule, the 2nd Defendant is obliged to step down on March 1st 2023,” the court ruled.
Baba, however, defied the court order and remained in office till Tinubu eased him out.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.