A confidential police memo dated January 13, 2025, has surfaced, revealing a request by a senior officer for an extension of service tenure beyond statutory retirement limits. Sources claim the document is linked to the January 2025 arrest of activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore.
The memo, signed by then-Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Dasuki D. Galadanchi and addressed to former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, sought approval for a two-year extension of service for selected senior officers, including Galadanchi himself.
In the document, Galadanchi argued that the positions of DIG and Force Secretary are “political in nature and strictly by appointment,” contending that retirement provisions under the Police Act 2020 and civil service rules do not apply in the same way. He cited sections of the Act granting the IGP authority to re-engage retired officers for renewable two-year terms.
The memo referenced a precedent during the tenure of former IGP Mohammed Adamu, alleging that a senior officer was allowed to remain in office beyond retirement age. It urged the IGP to exercise discretion to retain the officers concerned.
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Specifically, Galadanchi requested tenure extensions for himself, DIG Ari Muhammed Ali and AIG Rhoda A. Olofu, asking the IGP to engage the Police Service Commission to secure approval.
However, police sources now allege that the request was tied to an understanding that approval would depend on facilitating Sowore’s arrest and passport seizure. A senior source claimed the extension was contingent on action against the activist, although no official confirmation has been provided.
Sowore was arrested in January 2025 by officers of the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja and later asked to surrender his passport as part of bail conditions. He rejected the terms, describing them as unconstitutional. He was arraigned on amended cybercrime-related charges and pleaded not guilty.
At the time, Galadanchi headed the Force Criminal Investigation Department, which supervised the unit handling Sowore’s case. His department oversaw the detention and the controversial bail conditions, including the passport seizure demand.
Galadanchi retired from the Nigeria Police Force in March 2025 as part of a broader retirement exercise involving several Deputy Inspectors-General. The Police Service Commission subsequently ordered the retirement of multiple senior officers amid disputes over service extensions and concerns about tenure controversies.
Authorities have not formally addressed the allegations linking the memo to the arrest, and no official response has been issued regarding claims of conditional approval for tenure extension.
