Questions have emerged over the tenure of the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, following claims by a civil society group that he has remained in office after attaining the mandatory retirement age under the Public Service Rules.
The concerns were 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, the Corps Marshal attained the age of 60 about two months ago and ought to have retired from service in line with the Public Service Rules.
It argued that there had been no official announcement by the Federal Government extending his tenure.
JFV further contended that, unlike the tenure extensions publicly announced for some heads of government agencies, no similar announcement had been made regarding the FRSC Corps Marshal.
The group noted that under the Public Service Rules, public officers are generally required to retire upon attaining the age of 60 years or after 35 years of pensionable service, whichever comes first.
It stated that the Corps Marshal joined the FRSC in April 1992, placing his length of service at about 34 years, below the 35-year service threshold, while alleging that he attained the mandatory retirement age in May 2026.
The group questioned whether the office of the FRSC Corps Marshal is governed solely by the Public Service Rules or whether it is subject to a separate tenure arrangement under the FRSC (Establishment) Act and the terms of the presidential appointment.
It also argued that any continuation in office beyond the retirement age without an official extension could affect career progression and promotion opportunities for senior officers within the Corps.
The group said it was considering legal action to seek judicial clarification on the status of the Corps Marshal’s appointment if the issue was not addressed.
When contacted, the FRSC’s Deputy Corps Commander, Public Education, Osondu Ohaeri, was unavailable for comment.
However, a senior FRSC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, disputed the group’s claims.
The official said the Corps Marshal was appointed by President Bola Tinubu for an initial four-year tenure with effect from 20 May 2024, in accordance with the provisions of the FRSC (Establishment) Act, and that the tenure is expected to expire in May 2028 unless otherwise determined.
The official maintained that the appointment is a statutory tenure appointment and not one governed solely by the retirement age provisions of the Public Service Rules.
