NBA sues Buhari over IGP’s tenure elongation

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court, Lagos, challenging President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to extend the tenure of the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.

President Buhari had earlier this month extended the IGP’s tenure by three months.

Adamu, who joined the Nigeria Police Force on February 1, 1986, attained the mandatory 35 years in service on February 1.

The NBA President, Olumide Akpata, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

Other respondents in the suit with number FHC/L/CS/214/2021 were the Police Service Commission (PSC), and the IGP.

The body is seeking a judicial determination of the constitutionality of the President’s extension of Adamu’s tenure as IGP.

The NBA also urged the court to set aside the purported elongation of the IGP’s tenure.

The case file read: “An order directing the 3rd Defendant to vacate forthwith the office of the Inspector-General of Police and refund all salaries, allowances, and benefits received from February 1, 2021, (when he retired from the Police Force) to the coffers of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

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“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st Defendant either by himself and/or acting through any of his ministers, officers, servants, and/or under any guise further breach the provision of Section 215(1)(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended by extending the tenure of the occupant of the office of the Inspector General of Police of Nigeria.”

The NBA also described the President’s extension of the IGP’s tenure by three months as unconstitutional.

Akpata said: “The NBA’s decision to take this extraordinary line of action is underpinned by an urgent need, and a sacred duty, to reassert the supremacy of the rule of law in the face of growing impunity and the seeming reluctance of law officers in government to give proper counsel.

“The NBA’s position in the suit is that Adamu ceased to be a member of the Nigeria Police Force when he attained the milestone of 35 years of service. Therefore, the President’s extension of Adamu’s tenure by three months, in the NBA’s respectful view is unconstitutional.”

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