Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), on Tuesday alleged that Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has been removed from office.
Sowore claimed that Egbetokun has been replaced by a senior officer from the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) in Lagos, though he did not provide official documentation to support the claim.
As of the time of reporting, neither the Presidency nor the Nigeria Police Force had issued statements confirming the alleged development. Calls to the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, went unanswered, although he later requested that a text message be sent, promising a response that had not been received by press time.
Sowore has previously questioned Egbetokun’s tenure, arguing that the police chief should have retired upon reaching the mandatory age of 60. Egbetokun was appointed acting Inspector-General of Police by President Bola Tinubu in October 2023, with the appointment taking effect on October 31, 2023, pending confirmation by the National Assembly.
The controversy over the IGP’s tenure prompted the Federal Government to sponsor an amendment to the Police Act, establishing a single four-year term for the Inspector-General of Police, regardless of age or years of service.