A fresh controversy has emerged within the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) over the continued stay in office of Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed, who reportedly attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 two months ago.
The issue was raised by the Justice and Fairness Vanguard (JFV) in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja and signed by its Chairman, Audu Abubakar, and Secretary, Folake Abimbola.
According to the group, Mohammed ought to have retired immediately after reaching the compulsory retirement age but has continued to perform the duties of Corps Marshal despite the absence of any official announcement extending his tenure.
JFV alleged that the Corps Marshal has remained in office without constitutional backing, arguing that the Federal Government has not publicly approved or communicated any extension of his appointment.
The group noted that although the Presidency announced Mohammed’s appointment about two years ago, there has been no official statement authorising him to remain in office beyond the retirement age prescribed for public servants.
It contrasted the situation with previous tenure extensions granted to heads of other federal agencies, including the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, where the Federal Government formally announced such decisions.
Citing the Public Service Rules, JFV said civil servants are required to retire upon attaining either 60 years of age or 35 years of service, whichever comes first. It maintained that the provision is uniformly applied across federal institutions and should equally apply to the office of the FRSC Corps Marshal.
The group argued that Mohammed’s appointment automatically lapsed upon reaching the retirement age, creating a vacancy that should have been filled through a fresh appointment by the Federal Government.
It also questioned whether the office of the Corps Marshal is exempt from the Public Service Rules or operates under a separate tenure framework established by the FRSC Act and the President’s appointment powers.
“The question is whether a serving FRSC Corps Marshal, appointed into a top executive position, is exempt from the mandatory retirement age applicable to civil servants or whether the nature of the appointment allows the office holder to remain beyond the age limit,” the group stated.
JFV further noted that Mohammed joined the FRSC in April 1992, meaning he has served for about 34 years below the 35-year maximum service limit but has already attained the mandatory retirement age of 60.
It acknowledged that if the appointment were strictly tenure based, the Corps Marshal could remain in office until the expiration of an approved term or through an executive directive. However, the group insisted that no such directive has been issued in this case.
Beyond what it described as a breach of the Public Service Rules, JFV argued that allowing the Corps Marshal to remain in office would hinder career progression and promotion opportunities for senior officers awaiting advancement.
The group warned that it would institute legal proceedings against the Federal Government if it failed to appoint the most senior Deputy Corps Marshal as Mohammed’s successor, which it claimed is required by law.
When contacted, the FRSC Deputy Corps Commander in charge of Public Education, Osondu Ohaeri, was unavailable to comment on the allegations.
However, a senior FRSC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to address the matter publicly, dismissed the claims.
The official maintained that Mohammed was appointed for a fixed four-year tenure scheduled to expire in 2028, arguing that the office of the Corps Marshal is a political appointment and is therefore not subject to the mandatory retirement age applicable to career civil servants.
