End Of The Road: Police Sack Officers Over Fake Credentials, Manipulated Records

End Of The Road: Police Sack Officers Over Fake Credentials, Manipulated Records

The Nigeria Police Force has officially enforced the retirement of officers found guilty of forgery, age falsification, and other violations aimed at extending their service tenure beyond the mandatory retirement age.

A police wireless message dated February 10, 2025, and sent to all zonal commands and departments referenced the decision made by the Police Service Commission (PSC) at its 1st Extraordinary Meeting of the 6th Management Board.…..READ MORE 

According to reports, the decision aims to regularize the official first appointment dates of Cadet ASPs and Inspector-level officers.

The memo, with reference number CH:8400/FS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.2/294, directed the full implementation of the PSC’s directives, stating:

“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.”

This directive follows a previous intervention by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, who had initially suspended the retirement of senior officers exceeding 35 years in service or above 60 years of age.

A letter dated February 1, 2025, signed on behalf of the IGP by CP Bode Akinbamilowo, Deputy Force Secretary, instructed affected officers—including Simon Lough, SAN, Head of the NPF Legal Section, and Benneth Igweh, former FCT Police Commissioner—to proceed with immediate retirement.

The PSC communicated its final decision to the IGP in a letter dated January 31, 2025, signed by its Secretary, Nnamani Onyemuche.

The directive stated:

“The Commission, at its 1st Extraordinary Meeting of the 6th Management Board held on Friday, January 31, 2025, has approved the immediate retirement of officers who have spent 35 years in service and those above 60 years of age.”

It further noted:

“Any omission discovered subsequently on this issue also falls within this approval.”

The directive also instructed that replacements for retired officers should be made immediately and forwarded to the Commission for consideration and approval.

However, a police signal obtained on February 5, 2025, revealed that IGP Egbetokun had put the retirement directive on hold.

The internal message read:

“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 REF. MYLET CH:8400/FS/FHQ/AB3/VOL.2/292 DATED 1ST FEBRUARY 2025 X INGENPOL STRONGLY DIRECTS X YOU STAY ACTION ON LET UNDER REF X PENDING FURTHER DIRECTIVE.”

According to a police source, the suspension of the retirement directive came from the Presidency, allegedly following an order from President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“They have halted the retirement of these senior officers. The directive came directly from the Villa after the affected officers had already received their retirement letters. Today, a new signal from the IGP ordered that the action be put on hold,” the source revealed.