Former presidential candidate and rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has condemned the continued tenure of three senior security chiefs who, according to him, have exceeded the mandatory service limits prescribed by Nigerian civil service regulations.

In a statement released on Sunday, Sowore identified the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi; and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, as officers whose continued presence in office violates public service rules.

“These officers in the police, customs, and immigration services have exceeded the 35-year service limit and should have retired,” Sowore stated. “Their continued stay in service and office is a violation of service rules and a slap at national integrity.”

Referencing the Public Service Rules, which stipulate retirement after 35 years of service or upon attaining 60 years of age — whichever comes first — Sowore described the situation as a breach of institutional discipline and a disregard for legality.

He linked the decision to what he described as a pattern of tribal preference by the current administration, although he emphasised that his primary concern was the undermining of due process.

“This is not governance, it’s ethnic capture,” he said. “You can’t build a functional democracy on the back of selective application of rules.”

Sowore also warned that ignoring statutory retirement procedures threatens the credibility of the civil service and encourages impunity.

“For us, justice and institutional order are non-negotiable. Once you hit the 35-year mark, you retire. No one is above that,” he said.

At the time of filing this report, the presidency and the leadership of the affected agencies had not issued any official response to the allegations or confirmed the current status of the officers’ service records. (The Guardian)