.Justice for a fairness insists Public Service Rules mandate retirement at 60, says tenure extension was not announced
By Danjuama AMODU
Questions have emerged over the continued stay in office of the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, following claims that he has remained in office beyond the statutory retirement age for public servants.
FRSC Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed, whose tenure is currently under public scrutiny over retirement age rules.
The controversy was sparked by the Justice and Fairness Vanguard (JFV), which, in a statement released on Friday in Abuja, argued that Mohammed should have exited office after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60.
The statement, signed by the group’s Chairman, Audu Abubakar, and Secretary, Folake Abimbola, alleged that the Corps Marshal has continued to perform the functions of his office despite the absence of any publicly announced approval extending his tenure.
According to the group, while the Federal Government has in the past formally approved and announced tenure extensions for heads of certain government agencies, no similar directive has been issued with respect to the FRSC boss.
JFV maintained that the Public Service Rules require officers in the federal public service to retire either upon attaining the age of 60 or after 35 years of service, whichever comes first. It argued that Mohammed’s attainment of the retirement age automatically brought his service to an end, notwithstanding that he has not completed 35 years in the Corps.
The organisation also raised questions over the legal framework governing the office of the Corps Marshal, asking whether the position is exempt from the retirement provisions applicable to career public officers or operates under a separate tenure arrangement provided by law.
It further warned that retaining the incumbent in office could stall the promotion of senior officers awaiting elevation within the Corps and negatively affect career progression.
The group threatened to seek judicial intervention if the Federal Government failed to appoint a substantive successor, insisting that the most senior Deputy Corps Marshal should assume the position in line with the law.
Attempts to obtain an official reaction from the FRSC were unsuccessful, as the Corps’ spokesperson could not be reached.
However, a senior official of the agency, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, dismissed the allegations. The official explained that Mohammed’s appointment is a fixed four-year presidential tenure, due to expire in 2028, and is therefore not subject to the retirement age provisions applicable to the mainstream civil service.
