A wave of anxiety is sweeping through Nigeria’s police ranks as the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has initiated the enforcement of the mandatory retirement rule for officers exceeding 60 years of age or those with 35 years of service according to The Nation.

The directive conveyed through an internal memo, instructs police formations and commands to collect retirement letters from all affected officers resisting the move. 

The memo cites the Public Service Rule (PSR) 020810 i & ii, which stipulates that retirement is compulsory for all officers upon reaching 60 or completing 35 years of service.

The Police Service Commission has disapproved of the officers’ resistance to retirement, emphasizing that it breaches service regulations. Inspector-General Egbetokun has warned that the names of affected officers will soon be made public.

The memo highlights the “emerging and disturbing trend” within the Nigeria Police Force of officers refusing to retire despite reaching the mandatory retirement age or service duration. It stresses that such actions are null and void and that continued service beyond the stipulated limits is unauthorized.

“Cooperating with other government bodies in compliance with the directive of the honourable chairman, Police Service Commission, the IGP directs and draw the attention of all members of the force to the emerging and disturbing trend in the Nigeria Police Force wherein officers upon attainment of 35 years in service or 60 years of age refuse to proceed on retirement.

“This is contrary to the provisions of the public service rule (PSR) 020810 i & ii which provides that the mandatory retirement age for all grades in the service shall be 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service no officer shall be allowed to remain in service after attaining the retirement of age of 60 or 35 years of pensionable service whichever is earlier all actions taken by the said officers for the Nigeria police are null and void as a result of expiration of service duration accordingly you are to immediately extract a letter of voluntary retirement from such officers.

“The police authorities need to publish all officers that have violated their service retirement age,” the memo read.

Head of Press and Public Relations for the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, has confirmed the authenticity of the circular, reiterating that officers due for retirement must submit their resignation letters and exit the service.

“Those that are due for retirement, the IGP has said they should write and leave the service,” he stated