Abuja-based human rights lawyer Maxwell Opara has withdrawn his lawsuit challenging the tenure extension of former Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun following the police chief’s resignation.
Opara informed Justice Umar Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday that the case had become academic since Egbetokun was no longer in office.
The lawyer had earlier filed the suit against Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Police Council, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Federal Civil Service Commission.
In the originating summons filed on September 10, 2024, Opara asked the court to declare that Egbetokun had already reached the compulsory retirement age of 60 under the Public Service Rules or completed the maximum 35 years of pensionable service.
He also sought declarations that an appointment terminated by law cannot be revived by a subsequent amendment and that only serving police officers are eligible for appointment as Inspector-General of Police.
Additionally, Opara requested the court to restrain Egbetokun from continuing to present himself as Inspector-General.
However, when the matter came up for hearing, the lawyer told the court he was withdrawing the suit because the issues raised had become moot after Egbetokun’s resignation.
He added that although he would have sought an order preventing a similar situation in the future, a Court of Appeal ruling had classified such requests as academic exercises.
Following the withdrawal, Justice Umar Mohammed struck out the suit.
Egbetokun resigned on February 24, citing personal and family considerations. He was appointed in June 2023 for a four-year term, expected to end in June 2027, under the amended Police Act.
President Bola Tinubu accepted the resignation, according to a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
The President subsequently appointed Tunji Disu as acting Inspector-General of Police, with the appointment approved by the Nigeria Police Council.
