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Human rights advocate and ex-presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, has criticized the ongoing tenure of three senior security officials who, according to him, have surpassed the mandated 35-year service limit yet continue to hold their positions, violating civil service regulations.
In a statement released on Sunday, Sowore termed their tenure extensions as a “slap at national integrity” and a serious neglect of institutional norms and legality.
He said, “These officers in the @PoliceNG, @CustomsNG, and @nigimmigration have exceeded the 35-year service limit and should have retired, but they remain in office due to tribal favoritism.”
While Sowore hinted at ethnic bias, his primary concern was the breach of long-established service rules that require automatic retirement after 35 years of service or when one reaches 60 years of age—whichever occurs first.
The officials in question include Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service Kemi Nandap, and Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
Sowore stressed that their prolonged service is a breach of service rules and an affront to national integrity, asserting that this undermines governance and constitutes ethnic seizure.
He urged the Federal Government to annul the tenure extensions and adhere to the rule of law. Additionally, he cautioned that violating such statutory regulations not only harms the reputation of the civil service but also establishes a perilous precedent for executive misconduct.
“For us, justice and institutional order are non-negotiable. A functional democracy cannot be built on the selective enforcement of rules.
Once you reach the 35-year milestone, you retire. No one is exempt,” Sowore stated.
As of this report, the presidency and the involved security agencies have yet to address the issues raised.
