An Abuja-based human rights lawyer Maxwell Opara has withdrawn his suit challenging the tenure extension of former Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun following the police chief’s resignation.
Lawyer Opara informed Justice Umar Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday that the case had become academic after former IGP Egbetokun left office.
The lawyer had sued Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Police Council, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Federal Civil Service Commission.
In the originating summons filed on September 10, 2024, Opara asked the court to declare that Egbetokun had reached the compulsory retirement age of 60 under the Public Service Rules or had completed 35 years of pensionable service.
He also sought declarations that an appointment terminated by law cannot be revived by a later amendment and that only serving police officers are eligible for appointment as Inspector-General of Police.
He further asked the court to restrain Egbetokun from continuing to hold himself out as Inspector-General.
When the matter was called, Opara said he was withdrawing the suit because the issues raised had become moot following Egbetokun’s resignation.
He added that although he would have asked the court to prevent a similar situation in the future, a Court of Appeal decision had described such requests as academic exercises.
Justice Umar Mohammed subsequently struck out the suit.
Kayode Egbetokun resigned on February 24, citing personal and family considerations.
He was appointed in June 2023 for a four-year term expected to end in June 2027 in line with the amended Police Act.
President Bola Tinubu accepted his resignation, according to a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
The President has since appointed Tunji Disu as acting Inspector-General of Police.
The appointment was approved by the Nigeria Police Council.
