Amid growing speculation surrounding a possible extension of the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, stakeholders across civil society, governance advocacy, and public service sectors have voiced strong opposition and called on the Federal Government to uphold existing public service retirement policies.
Speaking on behalf of the International Commission for Peace and Good Governance Network, Ambassador Hussaini Coomassie cautioned that extending the tenure of service chiefs and heads of agencies undermines morale within institutions and disrupts the established order of leadership succession.
> “There should be no more tenure extensions for service chiefs,” Coomassie asserted. “Keeping one person in office beyond their statutory time deprives others of the opportunity to serve and contribute to national growth. It demoralises diligent officers and obstructs the natural progression of leadership.”
The Nigerian Public Service Rules (PSR), particularly Rule 020810, stipulate that the mandatory retirement age for public servants is 60 years of age or 35 years in service, whichever comes first. Exceptions are rarely made, and only under circumstances clearly justified by law or national exigency.
Civil society organisations warn that tenure extensions, if allowed, would set a negative precedent and diminish the credibility of institutional reforms under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
> “There are many competent officers who have been forced into early retirement due to stagnation at the top,” Coomassie continued. “When due retirements are not honoured, it signals to younger officers that merit and performance do not count, which breeds disillusionment.”
The stakeholders urged the President to reinforce a transparent and rule-based succession framework across federal agencies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, in line with his administration’s pledge to restore order, fairness, and institutional discipline.
The call aligns with broader public expectations for equity, professionalism, and adherence to the rule of law within Nigeria’s governance architecture.
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