A Spent Horse in a Nation at War: Why IGP Egbetokun Must Go

By Bolaji O. Akinyemi Posted 30th June 2025

In moments of national truth, silence speaks louder than a thousand words. One such moment came in Benue State, when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a town hall engagement with citizens over unending killings, called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to stand up. A simple call, a direct question followed—but the IGP offered no answer.

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That silence was deafening. Not just for the people of Benue, but for the rest of a nation bleeding under the weight of insecurity. If the man charged with protecting over 200 million Nigerians could not, in a room filled with grief and expectation, offer a vision or reassurance, then what exactly is he still doing in office?

The answer lies in a now-familiar Nigerian disease: tenure elongation—the art of keeping officials beyond their lawful stay, often justified by weak excuses and shrouded in executive silence.

Tenure Elongation Is a Cancer

The elongation of Egbetokun’s tenure beyond retirement age is not just an administrative error—it is a moral failure. It sends a clear message that rules are optional, succession planning is fiction, and personal loyalty outweighs institutional efficiency.

President Tinubu may not have created this system of bending the law to please favourites, but with each passing day, he appears more comfortable maintaining it.

Nigeria is in the middle of a security emergency. From Sokoto to Abia, Zamfara to Plateau, lives are being wasted daily. Kidnappings are now a national currency. Rural communities are slaughter pens. Urban neighborhoods are ticking time bombs. What we need is a battle-hardened, visionary, energetic IGP who can inspire the rank and file, drive strategic reform, and rebuild citizen confidence.

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Egbetokun, with due respect, is not that man.

The Moment in Benue Exposed It All

When Mr. President asked the IGP to stand up in Benue, the nation stood still. It was a father confronting a failing son, a leader demanding answers from a structure that has collapsed. But the IGP said nothing. And nothing has changed since.

His silence was not just about that moment—it was symbolic of his entire tenure. No bold reforms. No nationwide morale boost. No strategy for community policing. No major restructuring of the Force to meet today’s asymmetric threats. The Police under him has been reactive, not proactive; silent when it should speak; absent when it should act.

Mr. President, the Burden Is Yours

The longer IGP Egbetokun remains in office, the more it burdens your credibility, Mr. President. It reduces your anti-corruption posture to mere words and mocks your mantra of “renewed hope.” Hope cannot be renewed by extending the retirement of men who have nothing left to offer a country in need of urgent rescue.

Tenure elongation of a visibly tired IGP is a betrayal of young, capable officers waiting in line. It erodes professionalism and kills ambition within the Force. It violates the Police Act. It kills morale. And it exposes your administration to accusations of nepotism, regional bias, and impunity.

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Global Standards Demand Leadership Rotation

In South Africa, the Commissioner of Police is replaced once their term expires—no drama, no lobbying.

In the UK, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner steps down upon completing the agreed term, regardless of the political party in power.

In India, top police officers retire at statutory age and a new generation steps in, bringing in new strategies and energy.

Why then must Nigeria keep a “spent horse” in a race for survival?

Conclusion: This Nation Cannot Afford Sentiment

Mr. President, you promised a government of reforms, not recycling. A country of law, not exemption. Every extra day IGP Egbetokun spends in office is one more day of insecurity unanswered, and one more nail in the coffin of your reform agenda.

The blood of citizens can no longer be washed away with condolences. We need leadership that acts, not just one that empathizes. We need a new IGP now.

Nigeria deserves a security leader with the stamina for reform, the strategy for warfare, and the strength to restore confidence in our broken policing system.

The time to act is not tomorrow. It is today.

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I remain yours, in the spirit of Nation Building; The Bold, Inspiring and Dynamic; Bolaji O. Akinyemi, an Apostle and Nation Builder. The President Voice of His Word Ministries and Convener Apostolic Round Table. BoT Chairman, Project Victory Call Initiative, AKA PVC Naija. A strategic Communicator and the C.E.O, Masterbuilder Communications.

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