Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 general election, claimed on Tuesday that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has been dismissed from his position.
Sowore alleged that a senior officer currently serving at the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) in Lagos has taken Egbetokun’s place.
However, he did not offer any official confirmation to substantiate his claim.
As this report was being prepared, neither the Presidency nor the Nigeria Police Force had issued a statement confirming the situation.
When approached for comment, the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, did not answer calls to his phone.
He later responded with a message requesting that a text be sent to him, promising that he would reply.
As of the time of this report, he had not yet done so.
Sowore has consistently challenged Egbetokun’s tenure, asserting that the police chief should have resigned upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60.
President Bola Tinubu appointed Egbetokun as acting Inspector-General of Police in October 2023, pending the National Assembly’s confirmation. This appointment became effective on October 31, 2023.
In light of the controversy surrounding the IGP’s tenure, the Federal Government backed an amendment to the Police Act that stipulates a single four-year term for an Inspector-General of Police, regardless of age or years of service.
This provision enables Egbetokun to remain in office until October 2027.
