The Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC) of the Nigeria Police Force will call for the immediate retirement of police officers found to have falsified their ages or violated service regulations to extend their tenure beyond the mandatory retirement date, SaharaReporters has learned.
According to police sources, the FDC will also recommend that the implicated officers return all salaries and allowances received beyond their mandatory retirement date.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that six senior police officers implicated for age falsification and violation of service regulations had arrived at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja following their summons.
The officers—Idowu Owohunwa, Simon Lough (SAN), Benneth Igweh, Aina Emmanuel, Salama Wakili Abdul, and Adepoju Olugbenga—were directed to appear before the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC) after exceeding either the 60-year age limit or the 35-year service requirement and refusing to retire.
“All those identified in the police force to be involved are to retire on the date they were originally scheduled to retire,” one of the sources said.
“Meanwhile, the Force Disciplinary Committee will recommend they pay back salaries and allowances collected beyond date of retirement.”
As exclusively reported by SaharaReporters on Saturday, Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun ordered the officers to face the disciplinary panel at the Force Headquarters.
The hearings began on Monday, February 10 and are scheduled to end on Thursday, February 13.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the officers had refused to retire unless Egbetokun—who has also surpassed his retirement age—retired with them.
SaharaReporters reported on Sunday that the senior officers asserted that all actions taken by the police chief (Egbetokun) since his official retirement date on September 4, 2024, were null and void.
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters learnt that the senior officers arrived at the police headquarters on Monday, looking sober.
Police sources told SaharaReporters that the atmosphere at the police headquarters was tense amid fear of arrest.
Also, according to sources, Simon Lough and the others have been found to have forged documents to obtain a judgement at the National Industrial Court.
“The age defying senior police officers have all arrived at the police headquarters for trial and they looked sober,” one of the sources said on Monday.
“It was revealed that Simon Lough and others forged documents to obtain judgement at the Industrial Court. Meanwhile, the atmosphere is tense at the headquarters over their appearance before the Force Disciplinary Committee as they fear arrest.”
On Sunday, SaharaReporters reported that the senior police officers had seized upon the directive to appear before the disciplinary committee in their “working dress” as an admission by the police authorities that they were still very much in active service.
“They are also saying that if he ordered them to arrive in uniform for disciplinary action after they have been purportedly retired, then he is accepting that they are still in service,” one of the sources said.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the police officers and many others were implicated in forgery, falsification, and bypassing service regulations.
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters reported on Tuesday that the police force had fully authorised the retirement of all officers implicated in forgery, age falsification, and circumventing service regulations to extend their tenure beyond the mandatory retirement date.
A police wireless message dated February 10, 2025, and addressed to all zonal commands, departments, among others referred to the decision reached by the Police Service Commission (PSC) at its 1st Extraordinary Meeting of the 6th Management Board on the regularisation of the date of first appointment of Cadet ASPs/Inspectors force entrants.
The memo with reference number CH:8400/FS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.2/294, read: “Re: Police Service Commission decision at its 1st Extraordinary Meeting of the 6th Management Board on the regularization of date of first appointment of Cadet ASPs/Inspectors force entrants X INGENPOL firmly directs you proceed with full implementation of POLSCOM directives X unambiguously conveyed in MYLET No. CH:8400/FS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.2/292, dated 01/02/2025 X This sig. supersedes MYSIG No. CH:8400/FS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.2/293 DTO: 051604/02/2025 X for your strict compliance X acknowledge receipt X please X.”
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