Group Challenges Legality of FRSC Corps Marshal’s Continued Stay in Office
By Michael Mike
The continued stay in office of the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, has come under scrutiny following allegations that he has exceeded the mandatory retirement age without an official extension of his appointment.
The concerns were raised by the Justice and Fairness Vanguard (JFV), which claimed that Mohammed attained the compulsory retirement age of 60 about two months ago but has remained in office despite the absence of any public announcement extending his tenure.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, the group’s Chairman, Audu Abubakar, and Secretary, Folake Abimbola, argued that the Public Service Rules require public officers to retire at the age of 60 or after 35 years of service, whichever comes first.
According to the group, although Mohammed has not completed 35 years in service, having joined the FRSC in April 1992, attaining the mandatory retirement age should have brought his service to an end.
JFV said it was unaware of any presidential directive extending the Corps Marshal’s tenure, noting that similar approvals for heads of other government agencies were publicly announced in the past.
The organisation also called for clarification on whether the office of the FRSC Corps Marshal is exempt from the Public Service Rules or governed by a separate tenure arrangement under the FRSC Establishment Act.
It warned that allowing the Corps Marshal to remain in office beyond the retirement age could affect career progression for senior officers and create uncertainty within the Corps’ leadership structure.
The group threatened legal action if the Federal Government failed to appoint a successor, insisting that the most senior Deputy Corps Marshal should assume the position in line with the law.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the FRSC were unsuccessful, as the Corps Public Education Officer, Osondu Ohaeri, could not be reached for comments.
However, a senior FRSC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, dismissed the allegations.
The official maintained that Mohammed’s appointment is a fixed four-year presidential tenure running until 2028 and is therefore not subject to the retirement provisions applicable to career civil servants.
