The Integrity Youth Alliance, an organisation that has been monitoring the development trends in the Nigeria Police Force for over 15 years, has lambasted the Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA) over its statement on the passage of the Police Act Amendment Bill, which allows the Inspector-General of Police to remain in office until the end of the term stipulated in his letter of appointment.
Reacting to the Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA), the Alliance’s Secretary General, Danjuma Lamido, said that the amendment bill is a significant milestone in the quest for a more robust, responsive, and people-friendly policing system in Nigeria.
“The so-called “rights group” should know that the position of the Inspector-General of Police is an APPOINTMENT and therefore has no conflict with the long-standing civil service rule, which mandates retirement of workers on attainment of the age of 60 years or after 35 years in service.
“We also wish to enlighten the ignorance of HURMA that IGP Egbetokun’s appointment by the President for a four-year tenure is sacrosanct; therefore, the Executive Bill is only to give strength to Section 7(6) of the Police Act 2020.
“In 2023, Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja held that the retirement of Inspector General of Police from the Nigeria Police Force has nothing to do with his appointment on the ground that the four-year tenure is sacrosanct.
“It is unfortunate that a group with no peculiar interest in the office of Inspector General of Police is busy ranting and abusing the freedom of access to the media.
“Mr. Buna Balogun is not a serving police officer qualified for appointment or ever applied for IGP’s position. “We see Mr. Balogun as a busybody and meddlesome interloper.
“The best decision for Mr President is to sign the Amendment Bill of Police Act, 2020, passed by the National Assembly, as it will serve as a blazing a novel, new path towards the rule of law, as well as the public promise he made on May 29, 2023, during his inauguration speech.
