An Abuja-based human rights lawyer has withdrawn a legal action challenging the tenure of former Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun following his resignation from office.
The lawyer, Maxwell Opara, informed the Federal High Court in Abuja that the case had become unnecessary after Egbetokun stepped down from office on February 24, citing personal and family considerations.
Opara had filed the suit against Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Police Council, the President of Nigeria, and the Federal Civil Service Commission, arguing that Egbetokun had reached the mandatory retirement age of 60 and ought to have left public service earlier.
The originating summons also sought judicial declarations that an appointment that has been terminated by operation of law cannot be revived through subsequent legal or administrative amendments. The suit further sought to stop Egbetokun from continuing to present himself as Inspector-General of Police.
During proceedings, Opara told Justice Umar Mohammed that the matter had become academic following the resignation of the former police chief. He noted that while he wanted the court to discourage future tenure disputes, legal precedent has often classified such requests as purely academic once the subject matter no longer exists.
Justice Mohammed subsequently struck out the case following the lawyer’s withdrawal application.
