According to a legal practitioner and secretary of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, the appointment and tenure extension of the Inspector General of Police can only be legalized through an alteration of the 1999 Constitution.
In a letter to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the practitioner criticized the AGF’s declaration of the IG’s tenure extension as lawful. The AGF initially stated that the IG’s appointment would end upon reaching the retirement age of 60, but an amendment to the Police Act allowed the IG to complete the original four-year term.
The legal practitioner emphasized the need for a constitutional amendment to extend the IG’s tenure, highlighting the direct creation of the office of the Inspector General of Police in the 1999 Constitution.
Referring to a specific alteration act, the practitioner pointed out the necessity of constitutional changes for uniform retirement and pension provisions for judicial officers created by the Constitution.
Warning of potential legal action, the practitioner stated that failure to address the issue constitutionally could result in a lawsuit seeking clarification from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.