By Ebinum Samuel
The Police Service Commission has said as a responsible organization, it will take appropriate steps with regards to last week ruling by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, NICN, which ordered the Inspector-General of Police to reinstate 196 sacked police officers.
In a statement signed by the Commission’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, it stated that one of the cardinal principles of the Commission is, ‘obedience to the rule of law’. It says it will not do anything to disparage the sanctity of the Judiciary.
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The attention of the Police Service Commission has been drawn to a Sahara Reporters Press Release dated October 2nd 2025, with the caption “COURT ORDERS IGP EGBETOKUN, PSC TO REINSTATE OWOHUNWA, SIMON LOUGH, 194 OTHER OFFICERS SACKED OVER AGE FALSIFICATION SCANDAL” wherein it was stated as follows:
The National Industrial Court, Abuja Division, has ordered the immediate reinstatement of 196 officers from Cadet ASP Force Courses 18, 19 and 20, who had been dismissed by police authorities. The ruling followed Suit No. NICN/ABJ/28/2025. ACP Chinedu Ambrose Emengaha & 7 Ors, in which the officers challenged their forced retirement from the police force despite neither completing 35 years of service nor reaching mandatory age of 60.
Notable officers included in the reinstatement order are AIG Idowu Owohunwa, CP Benneth Igweh, and DCP Simon Lough SAN, according to CITY LAWYER.
Adding that:
the Police Service Commission had in March 4, 2025 vide a memorandum, directed the immediate retirement of certain senior officers over an age falsification scandal, which the officers have consistently denied.
According to the memorandum, the decision to retire these officers was made at the extraordinary meeting of the Police Service Commission held on February, 2025.
The Commission wishes to inform the general public that it is fully aware of the recent judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria between ACP CHINEDU AMBROSE EMENGAHA AND ORS VS POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION AND 2 ORS Suit No. NICN/ABJ/28/2025, which was delivered on the 30th day of September 2025 by Hon. Justice R.B Haastrup, as follows:
1. It is hereby declared that the date of first appointment into the service of the Claimants, as contained in their respective appointment letters are not subject to a review by the Defendants.
2. It is also declared that the members of Cadet ASP (Force Entrants) of Courses 18, 19, and 20 who are yet to serve 35 years of pensionable service or have not attained the age of 60 years, are by virtue of the said judgment of the National Industrial Court delivered by Hon. Justice O.O Oyewunmi in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/345/2019 – ACP AMBROSE EMENGAHA and ORS V. POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION and 2 ORS, and NICN/ABJ/353/20219 – CSP SUNDAY OKUGUNI and ORS V. POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION and 2 ORS, excluded from the decision of the 1st Defendant at her first extraordinary meeting of the 6th Management Board held on 31st January 2025, approving the immediate retirement of those officers who have spent 35 years in service or above 60 years in age.
3. A declaration is made stating that by virtue of the said judgments of the National Industrial Court affirming the date of appointment of the Claimants as Cadet Officers as a fresh appointment, the said appointment is not a merger of service.
4. It is hereby declared that the Defendants cannot by any decision, set aside the valid and subsisting judgments of this Court delivered by Hon. Justice O.O Oyewunmi in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/345/2019 – ACP AMBROSE EMENGAHA and ORS V. POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION and 2 ORS, and NICN/ABJ/353/20219 – CSP SUNDAY OKUGUNI and ORS V. POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION and 2 ORS, same having been implemented by the Defendants since 29th July 2021.
5. An Order is made setting aside the 1st Defendant’s directive to the 2nd and 3rd Defendants contained in the press release of 31st January 2025, as it concerns Courses 18, 19, and 20 Force Entrants.
6. An Order of perpetual injunction is also made restraining the Defendants jointly and severally from unlawfully and illegally reviewing the issue of dates of appointment of Cadet ASPs of Force Entrants Courses 18, 19, and 20 already settled by the Judgments of the National Industrial Court.
7. An Order of perpetual injunction is also made restraining the Defendants jointly and severally from unlawfully and illegally retiring any member of Force Entrants Courses 18, 19, and 20 who have not attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 years.
Nothing in the above decision of the court specifically orders the reinstatement of the officers as alleged by the Sahara Reporters, or specifically mentions any other officer.
The public should note further that the Commission is studying the decision of the Court with a view to taking appropriate steps, including exercising its right to appeal.
Furthermore, the Commission notes with much concern that the officers specifically referred to in the Sahara Reporters news filed a separate suit before the same court, that is: AIG IDOWU OWOHUNWA, AIG BENNETH IGWE, DCP SIMON LOUGH VS POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION AND 7 ORS with Suit No. NICN/ABJ/88/2025, is challenging their retirement from the Nigeria Police Force, which is awaiting the attention of the Court.
It is important to conclude this Statement by restating that the Commission is a responsible organization with one of its cardinal principles as ‘obedience to the rule of law’, and it will not do anything to disparage the sanctity of the judiciary.