Why PSC ordered immediate retirement for officers over age 60 or 35 years of service

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has ordered the immediate retirement of all senior police officers who have either surpassed 35 years of service or reached the age of 60.

This directive comes amid ongoing discussions regarding the tenure of Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who recently turned 60. Despite the debate, both the Nigeria Police Force and the Attorney General of the Federation have asserted that Egbetokun’s continued service remains legally valid.

In a statement released on Friday, Ikechukwu Ani, the PSC’s Head of Press and Public Relations, explained that the commission had reviewed its 2017 policy. The previous policy allowed officers to count their enlistment date instead of their initial appointment date, a provision that has now been reversed.

The PSC has aligned its policy with Public Service Rule No. 020908 (i & ii), which mandates retirement when an officer reaches either 35 years of service or 60 years of age. The commission acknowledged that its previous stance was inconsistent with public service regulations on length of service and retirement.

The statement noted: “Following its first extraordinary meeting, the Police Service Commission approved the immediate retirement of senior officers who have exceeded 35 years in service or are over the age of 60. This decision revises the commission’s earlier resolution at its 24th plenary meeting on 27th and 28th September 2017, which had allowed officers to use their date of appointment in the force rather than their enlistment date.”

The PSC clarified that this revision was necessary because the earlier policy contradicted public service principles and violated the Public Service Rule concerning service duration and retirement.

The decision was made under the leadership of the Commission Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu (retired), with the attendance of other key members including retired Supreme Court Justice Adamu Paul Galumje, DIG Taiwo Lakanu (retired), and Chief Onyemuchi Nnamani, the Commission’s Secretary. The decision has been forwarded to the Inspector General of Police for implementation.