Court Fixes Date For Judgment In Suit Challenging IGP’s Tenure Elongation

A federal high court in Abuja has fixed April 16 to deliver
judgment in a suit seeking the removal of Mohammed Adamu as
inspector-general of police.

Adamu, who was appointed in 2019, had clocked the mandatory 35
years in service on February 1 and was expected to have been
replaced by the president.

However, on February 4, President Muhammadu Buhari extended
Adamu’s tenure by three months.

Maxwell Opara, a legal practitioner, subsequently took the IGP
to court, contending that by virtue of section 215 of the Nigerian
constitution and section 7 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, Adamu
cannot continue to function as the IGP, having retired as a serving
member of the force.

In his defence, the IGP told the federal high court that the new
Nigeria Police Act gave him a four-year tenure, which would only
lapse in either 2023 or 2024.

Supporting Adamu’s position, President Buhari and Abubakar
Malami, attorney-general of the federation — who are the second and
third defendants in the matter — told the court through their
lawyer that the law permits the IGP to remain in office until
either 2023 or 2024.

At the court session on Tuesday, Ugochukwu Ezekiel, the
plaintiff’s counsel, said the hearing notice and other court
processes have been served on the Nigerian Police Council (NPC),
the fourth defendant in the suit.

All lawyers in the matter adopted their written addresses.

After listening to arguments made by the lawyers, Ahmed
Mohammed, presiding judge, fixed April 16 for judgment.

A federal high court in Abuja has fixed April 16 to deliver
judgment in a suit seeking the removal of Mohammed Adamu as
inspector-general of police.

Adamu, who was appointed in 2019, had clocked the mandatory 35
years in service on February 1 and was expected to have been
replaced by the president.

However, on February 4, President Muhammadu Buhari extended
Adamu’s tenure by three months.

Maxwell Opara, a legal practitioner, subsequently took the IGP
to court, contending that by virtue of section 215 of the Nigerian
constitution and section 7 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, Adamu
cannot continue to function as the IGP, having retired as a serving
member of the force.

In his defence, the IGP told the federal high court that the new
Nigeria Police Act gave him a four-year tenure, which would only
lapse in either 2023 or 2024.

Supporting Adamu’s position, President Buhari and Abubakar
Malami, attorney-general of the federation — who are the second and
third defendants in the matter — told the court through their
lawyer that the law permits the IGP to remain in office until
either 2023 or 2024.

At the court session on Tuesday, Ugochukwu Ezekiel, the
plaintiff’s counsel, said the hearing notice and other court
processes have been served on the Nigerian Police Council (NPC),
the fourth defendant in the suit.

All lawyers in the matter adopted their written addresses.

After listening to arguments made by the lawyers, Ahmed
Mohammed, presiding judge, fixed April 16 for judgment.