"kill -HUP `pidof inetd`" fails

[Gilles]

Hello

An application uses the following command to restart inetd:
=============
root:/var/tmp> kill -HUP `pidof inetd`
kill: bad pid '`pidof'
kill: bad pid 'inetd`'
=============

pidof is actually compiled in Busybox:
=============
root:/var/tmp> which pidof
/sbin/pidof

root:/var/tmp> ls -al /sbin/pidof
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root             7 Jul  4  2011 /sbin/pidof
-> busybox
=============

Inet is running OK:
=============
root:/var/tmp> ps aux| grep inetd
   55 root       484 S    /sbin/inetd -f
  196 root       692 S    grep inetd

root:/var/tmp> pidof inetd
55
=============

I don't understand the cause for the error. Anybody has an idea?

Thank you.