A group of aggrieved police officers has raised their concerns to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetogun, and the public regarding their forced retirement from the police force.
Members of courses 33, 34, and 35 allege that despite court orders and advice from various authorities, including the Police Service Commission (PSC), Police Legal department, and the Ministry of Justice, their retirement was enforced against their wishes.
They claim that while similar court orders favoring their ASP counterparts were obeyed by the police, theirs were disregarded, leaving them bewildered and seeking answers.
According to a statement issued by the affected officers, they highlight their shared training and the court’s clear directives to update their records, which were allegedly ignored by the police authorities.
Despite legal advice from internal and external sources, including the Police Legal department and the PSC, the police leadership under former and current IGPs failed to comply with the court orders.
The officers cite a specific court judgment from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, delivered on April 19, 2022, in their favor, which halted the retirement plans for those who hadn’t reached the mandatory retirement age or years of service.
While some previous court judgments involving other police officers were implemented, the authorities inexplicably refused to obey the judgment concerning courses 33, 34, and 35.
Among the affected officers are CP Ben Ikwe of the FCT Command and AIG Forcid Annex Lagos.
In response to inquiries, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) advised patience and urged the aggrieved officers to engage with the police hierarchy directly to address their concerns.
The PSC Spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, redirected inquiries back to the Force PRO, indicating a lack of detailed information on the matter.
The affected officers remain hopeful for a fair resolution to their plight as they seek justice and the enforcement of the court’s judgment.
LV.