Some retired Nigeria Police Force (NPF) officers have renewed their call for the enforcement of a National Industrial Court (NIC) judgment ordering their reinstatement following alleged forceful retirement before reaching the mandatory age.
The officers, who were members of Courses 33, 34, and 35 of the Police Academy, approached the NIC to challenge their compulsory retirement. The court, presided over by Justice Oyewumi Oyebiola, directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Police Service Commission (PSC), and the Force Secretary to reinstate the officers. The judgment also restrained the defendants from retiring the officers compulsorily.
However, since April 19, 2022, the court order has reportedly not been obeyed. The affected officers, who joined the NPF in 1996, 1999, and 2000, have yet to receive reinstatement or resumed duties.
In a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, their lawyer, Mr. Adetoye Adejola, appealed for presidential intervention. The letter, titled “Re: Petition on non-implementation of the judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in suit No. NICN/ABJ/281/2021 between CSP Egong Egwu Egong & 3 Ors Vs. Police Service Commission & 2 ORS”, highlighted the continued plight of the officers and the potential value they offer to national policing.
The petition stated:
“We are Solicitors to Police Officers who are members of Courses 21, 33, 34 and 35 (Force Entrants) of the Police Academy of the Nigeria Police Force (hereinafter referred to as ‘our clients’) and on whose mandate we write this letter as a follow-up to our previous letters of complaint. By our previous letters we have made a formal complaint on the non-implementation of the judgment of the Industrial Court delivered three years ago to the effect that the Police Authority under the leadership of the Inspector General of Police had since stopped the payment of salary of our clients, some had been forcefully sent into retirement, while those that are still in the active service were made redundant by not assigning any role or duty post to them.”
The lawyer also commended President Tinubu for his recent directive withdrawing officers attached to VIPs, noting that the force could still benefit from the experience of the forcefully retired officers.
“The recent bold directive by Your Excellency (President Tinubu) to the effect that the Nigeria Police Authority withdraw with immediate effect officers attached to VIPs and redirect the manpower towards frontline crime fighting and community policing necessitates this new letter,” the petition read.
It further stated:
“In light of the directives, we respectfully wish to bring to Your Excellency’s attention the plight and potential value of some senior police officers who were compulsorily retired before attaining their due retirement age or statutory years of service by the police authority and also refused and/or neglected to implement the court judgment referred to in our previous letters. These officers, many of whom are still very agile and possess extensive operational and leadership experience, no doubt, remain a valuable asset to the nation.”
The legal practitioner appealed:
“Your Excellency, Sir, recalling these officers will not only reinforce the depleted ranks of the Nigeria Police but will also serve as a signal of your commitment to justice, fairness, and the promotion of professionalism within the force. We respectfully urge the president to give an order for the immediate implementation of the court judgment in favour of the aggrieved retired officers and recall them to serve the nation, particularly in this period of heightened insecurity.”
