Irked by last week’s directive of the Police Service Commission, PSC, that no fewer than 197 police officers should proceed on compulsory retirement over what the Commission attributed to the attainment of the Statutory 60 years of age, 35 years of service and falsification of age, colleagues of the affected have condemned the directive by PSC, insisting that they would do anything legal to ensure that justice was done with regards to the matter.
At the Force headquarters this week, the retirement issue was the subject of discussion by officers and the rank and file. A good number of policemen and women seen discussing the issue condemned the directive, as only a few supported the action of PSC.
From the ground floor to the Seventh floor of the Louis Edet House on Alhaji Shehu Shagari Way, a group of police officers were not only heard discussing the matter but heard vowing to take every legal measure to seek redress for their colleagues “unjustly retired.”
On the Fourth floor, a group of police officers consisting of a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, two Deputy superintendents of Police, and DSPs were overheard saying, “Good lawyers would help our colleagues in this issue since “Force Entrants” matter was resolved at the Appeal Court in 2017. Can PSC annul or take precedence over Court ruling”? They asked.
Another group of officers met at the office of a top cop on the Sixth floor while craving anonymity, told this reporter and his colleagues that the directive by the PSC was seen by most police officers as an escape mechanism or an attempt to divert attention from what the average policeman or woman wants.
When asked what the average police personnel wants, one of the officers said, “The one at the top should go. The retired officers are either scapegoats or were used to divert attention from the real issue.
“Most of these officers are seasoned, well grounded in operations, investigations, administration and good in intelligence gathering.
“They are not like some people up there who know nothing except what they know is being close to those in the corridor of power. This is where we are not getting it right in this country. During the days of Chief Obasanjo, everything was done on merit, not the nonsense we see today,” said one of the piqued officers.
However, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, differs from a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, over the claim by the CSP that the directive of the PSC was the right thing to have been done.
“Which right thing has the PSC done? Was it not the PSC that gave evidence in court in 2017 that favoured the Force Entrants’ Appointment Dates? Was it not the PSC that ordered the then IGP to implement the court ruling? Why punish them for a policy they didn’t initiate?”
The ACP disclosed that the PSC would have acted wisely if it had come up with an order that cancelled the issue of force entrants and appointment dates, not punishing them for a policy they did not initiate.
On the issue of falsification of age, the CSP believes that the PSC is merely chasing shadows.
The Delta State police command has condemned the attack on police operatives attached to the Quick Response Squad of the Command by Airforce personnel attached to Airforce base Jeddo in Okpe Local government Area. The spokesman of the command, SP Edafe Bright disclosed that the Airforce personnel attacked his men who were performing their lawful duty According to him on Monday this week, at about 1700 hours, operatives of Quick Response Squad (QRS) while on crime prevention patrol flagged down a Toyota Corolla car with plate number AKD-73-FL, but the occupants of the vehicle on sighting the police took to their heels which prompted the policemen to go after them, and arrested one of the suspects identified as Ibohama Precious aged 25yrs and recovered some weeds suspected to be Indian hemp. Also recovered by the operatives were Canadian loud and other hard drugs. Edafe said While the Policemen were on their way to the station alongside the suspects and exhibit, upon getting to the Airforce checkpoint at Jeddo, they were stopped by the Airforce personnel and were told that they wouldn’t be allowed to proceed until they released the suspects with them. This, the policemen vehemently resisted and subsequently, the Airforce personnel attacked the Policemen without any justification.
“The Delta state Police command under the leadership of CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, the Nigeria Airforce, Navy, Army and other security agencies in the state have a cordial working relationship worthy of emulation and the incident is indeed an embarrassing one” He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police and the Airforce are looking into the ugly incident and putting all modalities in place to forestall any future occurrences
It was a relay of calls competing for access to me Thursday February 6, 2025. Messages tagged “Breaking News” were equally discernible as they streamed onto my WhatsApp page. I would subsequently get to know that Christopher Adewole Jemitola, erstwhile aide-de-camp, (ADC) to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had sadly and unexpectedly passed, just minutes ago. Those who know that I served as an aide to Obasanjo during his two terms in office, from 1999 to 2007, knew I would have known Jemitola. Our offices were in the very same one-storey building housing the seat and office of the President. The ADC and senior non-uniformed security aides to the Commander-in-Chief were on the ground floor. Those of us who manned the “Secretariat of the President,” the very next door to the nation’s helmsman, were upstairs. We often began our days together from the President’s residence, chaperoning him with his other aides, through the walkway linking his home and office, and vice versa. We were components of what is described as the “main body” of the President’s aides. We attended official events with him and flew on the presidential jet with him as well.
Jemitola was preceded on the job by Solomon Uangbaoje Giwa-Amu, who was Obasanjo’s ADC from 1999 to 2003. Giwa-Amu pulled me aside on the sidelines of the 2002 edition of the United Nations General Assembly, (UNGA), in New York. The bespectacled Giwa-Amu, famous for the red beret of the “military police,” the corps to which he belonged in the army was then a full Colonel. He recounted it had been worthwhile working with Obasanjo, meeting a broad spectrum of people and gaining invaluable experience the barracks would never have availed him. He said the President wants to continue with him into his second term because of the “father-son” relationship they had developed. Giwa-Amu, however, said he was personally minded about his mainstream career as a soldier. He said he desired to speedily return for reintegration into the military system, to mitigate envy and misgivings by his colleagues.
I functioned as master of ceremony for quite a number of state events, including dinners and receptions the President hosted for his visiting foreign colleagues. Obasanjo added that to my schedule beginning from a reception he hosted in honour of the former Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh. Renowned for his thriftiness, Obasanjo believed that professional comperes charged too much for their services. He believed many of them were not as articulate as I am, and more importantly, he wouldn’t have to pay for my services. Giwa-Amu loved my cadenced delivery and measured wit. He looked out frantically for me the day he was decorated Colonel in the chambers of the Federal Executive Council, (FEC). I was, unfortunately, otherwise engaged, especially because I had workstations both in the State House and the Federal Secretariat.
Tall, fair-complexioned, unobtrusive, Christopher Jemitola was a permanent fixture behind Obasanjo during his second term as President. He was professional, courteous and humble, the archetypal “officer and gentleman.” Whenever our paths crossed, communicated majorly in Yoruba which he spoke flawlessly. This was despite the fact that he wasn’t from a core Yoruba-speaking state. Not knowing who was older between both of us, he related with me with the kind of deference which presupposed I was the older party. I went to his residence abutting the President’s one morning and told his batman to inform him I wanted to see him. The batman returned to inform me that Jemitola said everyone desirous of a meeting with him should come over to his office. I stood my ground and gave my call card to the soldier to give to his boss. Jemitola emerged from the bathroom and was still mopping his body with his towel, apologised and listened to me. The information was beneficial to him and he was most thankful.
Those of us who served in the Obasanjo government went our separate ways after May 29, 2007. Jemitola returned to the Nigerian Army and was deployed to the Nigerian Embassy in Brazil as Defence Adviser. Giwa-Amu before him had served in a similar capacity at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC, between 2003 and 2007. Within that period, Giwa-Amu attended the US War College. Upon Jemitola’s return from Brazil, he was deployed to the position of Director of Defence Information, (DDI), at the Defence Headquarters, (DHQ). We thereafter saw each other fairly frequently on Sundays because we worshipped at the same parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG) in Abuja. He was always his usual self, with zero affectations, no fawning aides holding his Bible for him, generous with his handshake, just himself.
Jemitola was promoted to the rank of Major General in 2014. Following the appointment of Tukur Buratai as Chief of Army Staff by the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, in 2015, Jemitola was deployed as Commander, Corps of Signals, Headquarters, Lagos. Not too long after, he was reassigned as the Chief of Policy and Plans, (COPP), of the Nigerian Army. Such was the career mobility of Jemitola during his years in active military service. Following his retirement from service a few years ago, Jemitola made forays into post-regimental life, serving as Senior Advisor for Military Communications at Pinnacle Communications Ltd, in 2019. The outfit, a digital switchover licensee is headquartered in Asokoro, Abuja. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), invaded the offices of the organisation January 22, 2020, weeks before the Chairman of the company, Lucky Omoluwa passed, February 18, 2020.
Major General Christopher Jemitola and his predecessor, Brigadier General Solomon Giwa-Amu, coincidentally, both hailed from Edo North in Edo State. That Obasanjo happily worked with both of them without parochial consideration of their origins reinforced the pan-Nigerian globality of the former President who eternally placed substance and quality, above primordial concerns like ethnicity and creed. Jemitola was from Ososo in Edo State, while Giwa-Amu was from Sabongida-Ora. As though the ability to play the game of squash was a prerequisite for being ADC to Obasanjo, both gentlemen played the game well. Indeed, they typically began their days, sparring with Obasanjo in the squash court annexed to the presidential residence. By tragic coincidence, Jemitola and Giwa-Amu both died in the month of February. Giwa-Amu died on Monday February 18, 2008, in an automobile accident between Abuja and Kaduna, following a tire burst to the vehicle in which he was riding.
He was to deliver a lecture at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, (AFCSC), in Jaji, Kaduna State and reportedly opted to ride in the Toyota Coaster bus conveying other officers and men to the lecture, while his staff car, drove behind. Of all the 18 occupants of the said bus, Giwa-Amu was the singular casualty. Gabriel Giwa-Amu, an attorney and brother to Solomon Giwa-Amu, sustained inquisition into this riddle for several years. Yes, there was a deep cut in Solomon Giwa-Amu’s head, according to family members, but there was no physical wound of any kind on his body.
There were suspicions that Giwa-Amu’s ever rising profile, troubled not a few interests in the army. Recall his fears about possible peer jealousies to which I earlier alluded. He was just 49 when he passed. He would have been 66 this year and would have been long retired from active service. I attended his final rites of passage and interment in his private residence, in Sabongida-Ora. He had four children with his beloved wife, Judith. Jemitola turned 63 on Christmas day last December 25. Like many retirees, golfing appealed to him. He could play the game anytime of the day, keep fit and stay in the company of friends. He slumped and passed at the IBB Golf Club, Abuja the morning of Thursday February 6, 2025, after playing the game. He had two children, Caleb and Iman, with Josephine, his erstwhile wife.
So sad Nigeria has lost the sheer quality, the multidimensional reservoir of institutional memory embedded in the persons of Major General Christopher Adewole Jemitola and Brigadier General Solomon Uangaboje Giwa-Amu. Their wisdoms would, without doubt, have served Nigeria positively, especially in the security and military ecosystem to which they devoted decades of their shortlived lives. People like them should be resource persons in the many academies, centres, colleges and institutes of the Nigerian military. They should today be Emeritus instructors in: Civilian/military relations; Sustenance of military professionalism in a democratic dispensation; Ensuring inter-service collaboration between sister security departments in a democracy, and so on. We pray God to grant sweet repose to their souls, even as we entrust their families to the eternal care of God the Almighty.
Tunde Olusunle, PhD, Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (FANA), is an Adjunct Professor in the Centre for Creative Writing, University of Abuja
Recent data from the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) reveals that over 3.6 million Nigerians migrated from the country between 2022 and 2023. A significant portion of this number left in the past two years, primarily driven by factors such as economic hardship, unemployment, and political instability. The majority of these emigrants are young people seeking better opportunities abroad.
The Japa syndrome is no longer just a trend; it is a desperate response to a nation’s failure to provide hope. Until systemic reforms address the root causes of this mass exodus, Nigeria will continue to lose its brightest minds to foreign lands, deepening the crisis of underdevelopment at home.
In his article “Nigeria’s Japa Generation and Global Demographic Dynamics” published by Business a.m., Professor Chris Anyokwu aptly captures the growing trend of mass emigration among Nigerians. He describes how citizens, both young and old, are “voting with their feet,” fleeing the country in search of better opportunities abroad. The phenomenon, largely driven by economic decline, and a lack of prospects, has become a defining reality for the nation’s youth. The scholar paints a grim picture of a generation that has been pushed to its limits. With motivation at an all-time low and the illusion of change completely shattered, young Nigerians are left staring at the harsh realities of life. Their departure is not just a search for greener pastures—it is an unspoken protest against a system that has repeatedly betrayed them. “With the complete collapse of motivation and the virtual liquidation” of all illusion, they now stare at the unblinking hardness of life.”
After the COVID-19 pandemic, many people lost their jobs due to the immense hardship imposed on individuals, businesses, and governments worldwide. Little did we know that, five years later, the consequences of the “Japa” syndrome would be so severe. If the family is considered a human factory, then the Nigerian family structure has become disenchanted and near collapse. We are now a collection of displaced individuals living in an open theatre of the absurd. I am not a pessimist, but the statistics emerging from foreign lands about the hardship this mass exodus is inflicting on families are deeply concerning. These range from crumbling marriages, Suicides, and missing loved ones to the psychological trauma associated with moving to a culture where racism is institutionalized.
Unfortunately, Nigeria has a system of governance that displays a nonchalant attitude towards national issues, and there seems to be little intention to build a nation defined by a strong moral character. The days ahead look bleak for Nigerians abroad who have gone in search of a “greener pasture,” especially with President Trump gearing up to deport undocumented immigrants. President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration policies have significantly impacted Nigerians residing in the United States. Central to these policies is the emphasis on mass deportations, which has heightened anxiety within Nigerian communities. Reports from early 2025 indicate that many Nigerians feared large-scale raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), leading to concerns about potential deportations and family separations.
In 2020, the Trump administration expanded its travel ban to include Nigeria, citing security concerns. This move restricted the ability of Nigerians to immigrate to the U.S., particularly affecting those seeking to reunite with family members. The ban prevented U.S. citizens from bringing over children, parents, or siblings, and it halted the immigration of spouses or partners of American citizens. Additionally, the administration’s broader immigration agenda included attempts to terminate programs like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which protect many immigrants. While not exclusively targeting Nigerians, these actions have contributed to an environment of uncertainty and fear within immigrant communities, including Nigerians who have moved out of Nigeria in large numbers recently.
The Nigerian government’s response, in a typically reactionary manner, was confirmed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, NiDCOM’s Director of Media and Corporate Affairs. He told newsmen recently that an inter-agency committee had been established to manage potential mass deportation. “The Federal Government has established an inter-agency committee comprising the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NiDCOM, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to respond to any large-scale deportation of Nigerians from the US,” Balogun disclosed.
In stark contrast to establishing such committees and waiting for fate or faith to dictate action, consider the example of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. When faced with the possibility of President Trump implementing tariff hikes on Canadian goods and services, Trudeau acted decisively. He announced in his speech, “Tonight, I am announcing Canada will be responding to the U.S. trade action with 25 per cent tariffs against a $155 billion worth of American goods. This will include immediate tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods as of Tuesday, followed by further tariffs on $125 billion worth of American products in 21 days to allow Canadian companies and supply chains to seek alternatives.” Through subsequent negotiations and trade-offs, President Trump agreed to a 30-day pause before implementing his plans. As America’s two largest partners, Mexico and Canada took steps to also address President Trump’s concerns about border security and drug trafficking.
This is how nations operate, instead of always becoming orphans waiting for crumbs. Nigerian leaders must do more. The leadership of every sovereign nation should prioritize protecting its citizens, preventing crimes, and ensuring social cohesion.
Despite their significant contributions, Nigerians are often left unprotected. The intellectual prowess of Nigerians is undeniable, particularly in the United States, where they have made remarkable contributions across numerous fields, showcasing their resilience, intellect, and entrepreneurial spirit. Their impact continues to shape industries and influence policies on a national and global scale.
As a nation, we should express our discontent with any mistreatment of our citizens. Nigerians in the U.S. have excelled in various areas, including education, healthcare, business, technology, entertainment, and public service. They are the pioneers in the tech space. In Silicon Valley and beyond, Nigerians are making strides in engineering, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. They are present in leading tech firms such as Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, contributing to advancements in digital security and financial technology.
A prime example is Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, co-founder of Flutterwave, a global payment platform that facilitates cross-border transactions in Africa and beyond, furthering economic growth and digital inclusion.
To become truly relevant on the world stage, our leadership must act definitively and strategically alongside global powers. We must not wait until mass deportations to define our mode of engagement with the United States. Our diplomatic corps must become proactive and responsive.
Halima Abdulazeez She is a poet and a writer of the poetry collection “Soul Rants” A Journey from Within.She is the treasurer, of PEN International, Nigerian Center, and resides in Lagos.
Ikioye Livingston Orutugu, new Anambra state Commissioner of Police, has expressed his readiness to cooperate and synergize with other security agencies to effectively fight criminality in the state.
Orutugu made the disclosure during interaction with newsmen in Awka on Wednesday.
He said that he had visited key security agencies in the state including the Commander of 302 Artillery Regiment (General Support) Onitsha, Commandant of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), as well as the Rapid Response Squad Formation, Awkuzu.
“The aim is to forster stronger collaboration in tackling security challenges within the state.
“During my visits I emphasised the need for seamless coordinating intelligence sharing and resource integration among security agencies to enhance public safety and sustain ongoing joint operations in critical areas of the state,” he added.
According to him, the command remains committed to proactive policing strategies and partnership aimed at ensuring peace and security across the state.
Orutugu popularly known as “the Fear” among his colleagues and the 35th Commissioner of Police in the state appealed to Anambra citizens for adequate information and cooperation to enable police successfully carry out its policing of the state.
The proactive police officer who in his days in the Police Mobile Force (PMF) successfully led a team in the Ife-Modakeke, Osun state crisis and quelling of protest and riot without violence, said he would ensure that the command successfully bring down crime rate to the barest minimum in the state.
He warned against extortion and bribe taking by the police personnel in the state, adding that the command under his watch would not condone indiscipline.
Orutugu rather urged them to show more commitment to duty and improve on timely response to incidents.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has reaffirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will serve his full two terms in office, spanning from 2023 to 2031.
Ganduje’s statement comes in response to a warning from former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, who suggested that President Tinubu risks losing his re-election bid in 2027 due to dwindling support from the North.
Speaking on Tuesday at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja while receiving the Tinubu Northern Youth Forum, Ganduje dismissed concerns over power shifts, insisting that the established principle of North-South power rotation would remain intact.
The Kano-born politician cited former President Muhammadu Buhari’s two-term tenure as a precedent, asserting that Tinubu would enjoy the same privilege.
“When a leader from the Northern part of this country was in office for 8 years, we advocated that the next President in our party should come from the south. And luckily enough, we worked very hard with the cooperation of Nigerians,” he said.
“Our President has come from the South and is going, In Sha Allah, for a second term, 2027. And then after that, it will be the turn of the northern part of this country.”
Ganduje, who also met with the Tinubu Young Generation Forum earlier in the day at the party secretariat, argued that President Tinubu is doing very well while at the helm since last year.
He described Tinubu as a reformer, visionary leader, who is focused on repositioning the country for sustainable growth and development.
“We are happy with his reforms because his reforms are absolutely necessary for the social and economic development of this country. There is no doubt so many things went wrong over a long period of time and it would require, there is no doubt it requires surgery before we can get it right,” he said.
“But we are happy that we have started seeing the outcome of the reforms, especially in the economic side and we believe this will continue to yield positive results so that the legacy and the renewed hope agenda will be achieved.”
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy, Daniel Bwala, revealed on Tuesday that his previous criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration stemmed from his position as a member of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV’s The Morning Show, Bwala clarified that his past remarks were politically motivated, aligned with his role as a PDP spokesperson at the time.
He emphasized that political rivalry often involves highlighting opposing perspectives but assured that his current role as a presidential adviser is focused on contributing positively to national development.
“I criticised Tinubu’e election and administration in the past because I was in the opposition.
“The opposition’s work is to criticise the sitting government and hold them accountable. My views changed after I met the President, and he saw a need to appoint me,” he said.
Recall that before his appointment, Bwala accused Tinubu of rigging the election.
He said that the President would face challenges with moral legitimacy upon assuming office.
“Right now, although the presumption of law is in favour of Tinubu until the final determination of the election tribunal and appeals, he will struggle with moral legitimacy (because he rigged the election) for 240 days of his presidency,” Bwala posted on X.
“Eminent scholars, human rights activists, and strong opinion molders who have traditionally been critical are suddenly, for cultural and tribal reasons, throwing their weight behind him in a clandestine way,” he added.
In May 2023, during an interview with Arise Television, Bwala doubled down on his claims, challenging the legitimacy of Tinubu’s victory.
He described Tinubu as a “president-select” rather than a “president-elect,” accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission of manipulating the presidential election results.
“We are in court to say it was a rigged process. As long as there is no final determination of the matter, we have every right under law, equity, and justice to express our opinion that he is a president-select and not a president-elect,” Bwala declared.
Bwala’s skepticism extended back to March 2023, when he insisted in another interview that the PDP won the election.
“We won. If these results were allowed to be read from the result sheet, we won with over one million votes. Nigerian people voted PDP as the winner of this election, but history and posterity will judge,” he maintained.
As raise of dust in last week directive by the Police Service Commission, PSC, to certain category of police chiefs to proceed on compulsory retirement is yet to settle down, a security expert has described the decision as ethnic persecution while calling on President Tinubu for urgent intervention.
In its directive last week, the PSC ordered police chiefs who have attained 60 years of age and those who have served the force for 35 years plus those it says falsified their age to proceed on compulsory retirement .
However, a security expert, Prince Shadrack Adewole Ogunyemi,in urging Tinubu to look into the matter with a view to putting what is wrong and right in the retirement execise, said that a critical review of the retirement revealed that some of the affected officers were persecuted because of the section they hailed from in the country. According to Ogunyemi, the issue of “Force Entrants” with their appointment dates have been settled by Appeal Court in 2017 when PSC appealled against some police chiefs who a lower court had ruled in their favour over appointment date.
The Security Expert wondered why the PSC did not approach the courts to enable it come up with the decision it arrived at last week . This, he said has led to shock, mental torture and embarrassment ti several officers and their families.
” If you look at the list of the retired officers, 90 percent of it are officers from the Southern part of our country. This policy of force entrants, i can say categorically was initiated in the late 1980s by those who had used all means to ensure that northerners dominate the force”. Ogunyemi while calling on Tinubu to intervene over the matter, urged the president to call on the case file regarding the retirement issue.
“The same PSC that issued a directive in 2017 to the then IGP on Regularisation of the Date of Entry of Officers of Force Entrants in Courses 18,19 and 20 should not, 8 years after, be singing a different song for the same officers without recourse to the courts”
” I don’t think the PSC, in taking this decision, was properly informed. To rectify this anomaly, President Tinubu, all stakeholders must review this unwholesome directive that has affected several lives negatively”.
The 197 Senior Police Officers, who were unceremoniously retired by the Police Service Commission (PSC) due to the Regularisation Of First Date Of Entry Exercise, are not ready to accept it without a fight. According to them, the PSC, led by a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Mr Hashimu Argungu, may have taken that stance without knowing of an existing judgement on the same issue. According to sources, since the 13th of January 2021, the industrial court of Nigeria in Abuja Judicial Division in suit Nos NCIN/ABJ/345/2019 and NICN/ABJ/353/2019 had ruled on it. According to crimeworld.com.ng, the affected officers, who were part of Force Entrants Courses 18, 19, and 20, were accused of falsifying their service records. However, court documents reveal that the issue had been settled in their favour by the Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja, with judgments delivered on January 13, 2021, in suit numbers NCIN/ABJ/345/2019 and NICN/ABJ/353/2019.
Despite the court judgment, the PSC and the Nigeria Police Force resorted to self-help, ignoring the court’s decision and perverting justice. The PSC had issued a directive to the then IGP on the Regularisation Of the Date Of Entry Of Officers Of Force Entrants in Courses 18, 19, and 20 in a letter dated 22nd June 2020. These officers entered the Force as non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and later acquired higher university degrees.
Upon applying for the Cadet ASP programmes along with their civilian counterparts, where some of the civilians were employees of banks, federal, state and local employees, and attended interviews, they were appointed as Cadets Assistant Superintendent Of Police (Cadet ASP). They were issued fresh appointment letters with fresh dates after the 18 months of training in line with a decision in 1989 reference signal number CE 2710/PS/VOL 3/205 dated 1st June 1989 that NCOs before taking up a fresh appointment as cadet ASP must resign their earlier appointment and start afresh as the date of their first appointment. This was re-emphasized in the PSC 24th plenary decision in letter no PSC/1524/111/275 dated 25th October 2017 to the IGP to implement. The Police delay in implementing the decision of the PSC 24th plenary prompted officers concerned to approach the court and judgement was delivered in favour of courses 18,19 and 20 which the PSC directed the police to implement. The Police in signal number CB:3594/FS/FHQ/ABJ/ VOL 2/244 DTO 291225/07/ 2021 implemented the judgement of the court and the Police Service Commission was communicated on 30th April 2021. It is not clear whether the present management of the PSC was unaware of this development. Though the Industrial Court ruled in favour of these officers, the PSC undaunted, proceeded to the Appeal Court for a better interpretation. At the Appeal court again, the learned justices upheld the decision of the lower court and even fined the PSC N1 million for abuse of the court process; for bringing such a matter that had been duly adjudicated up at the lower court. Sequel to the Appeal Court judgement, both the PSC and the Police authority jointly agreed to implement the same and recall officers who may have been retired with regards to the ‘Regularisation Of Date Of Entry Exercise’ of the PSC back to their offices.
A signal sighted from the PSC to the police dated June 24, 2020, titled Re: Decision of the Commission’s 24th Plenary Meeting: Regulation of date of first appointed reads thus: “The Commission wishes to refer you to a letter PSC/1524/111/275 dated October 25, 2017, on the above subject matter. “This is to reiterate that the Commission’s 24th Plenary Meeting held on 27th, 28th September 2017Considered/Complainant forwarded to it by aggrieved police officers if course 18, 19 Police Academic owing to the controversy surrounding their date of first appointment and decided that in line with previous decision taken on a similar matter, all officers with similar situation caused by signal N0. CE2710/ PS/VOL3/205 dated June 1, 1989, who were directed to resign their appointment as NCOs before taking up fresh appointments as Cadet ASP are to maintain the date of their appointment as Cadet ASP on the date of their first appointment.”
Some of the affected officers contended that Argungu was in service when the Police authority got judgment over the PSC on the issue, stressing: “It is alarming that the PSC and the Nigeria Police Force would disregard the rule of law and ignore the court’s judgment. This is a clear case of injustice, and we demand that the authorities take immediate action to rectify this situation. “How can Argungu-led PSC be talking about this issue that had been settled years back in which the PSC was even fined millions for abuse of court process? “Is it that he is not privy to files of the court judgements? Most of us affected by the latest directive entered the Force as NCOs as graduates and later we were interviewed and passed. “After that, we were issued with fresh appointment letters with fresh dates of entry; which means our years as NCOs had been cancelled. The matter became an issue of contention and we went to court and defeated the PSC. “They even went to Appeal Court and again, we won. The PSC was even fined N1million for abuse of court process.” Credit: crimeworld.com.ng
A professor at the University of Uyo, Prof. Ignatius Uduk, has been sentenced to three years imprisonment by the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo.
Uduk was convicted for publishing false election results and committing perjury related to the 2019 state House of Assembly election in Akwa Ibom North-West.
He was found guilty of charges brought by the Independent National Electoral Commission for his actions as the returning officer during the election in Essien Udim State Constituency.
The charges included perjury and the publication of false results during the 2019 general elections.
His conviction comes four years after Prof. Peter Ogban, a professor of Soil Science at the University of Calabar, was also jailed for similar offences related to election manipulation.
Former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom,Mike Igini, played a key role in initiating both cases.
He secured the conviction of Ogban before his retirement in 2022.
Uduk was initially arraigned in December 2020, after an arrest warrant was issued for him due to his repeated failure to appear in court.
The Professor of Human Kinetics pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The trial, however, experienced multiple delays, including changes in his defence counsel and an incident where Uduk collapsed in the dock during cross-examination.
On Wednesday, Justice Bassey Nkanang, the presiding judge at Uyo High Court 5, delivered the ruling.
Uduk was acquitted of the first charge, but found guilty of publishing false election results and perjury.
The judge sentenced him to three years imprisonment on each of the two counts, to be served concurrently.
“In respect of Count 1, the defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted. In respect of Count 2, the defendant is hereby found guilty of the offence of publication of false results contrary to and punishable under section 123(4) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
“For Count 3, the defendant is hereby found guilty of the offence of perjury under Section 119(1) of the Criminal Code Law of Akwa Ibom state,” Justice Nkanang ruled.
After the court session counsel for INEC, Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), explained that the case related to the 2019 general elections, not the 2023 polls.
He emphasised the importance of the ruling as a deterrent to future offenders.
Onwuenwunor described Uduk’s conduct as a serious disservice to democracy, stating:
“This case relates to the 2019 general elections and not 2023. It was initiated by former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, with the support of the then Chairman against those that committed infractions against the system. It has taken us five years to prosecute Prof Uduk for offences he committed against the state. The judgment is going to serve as a deterrent to others that may be engaged tomorrow by INEC, to help ensure credibility in the electoral process, but who turn around to sabotage it for selfish reasons.”
On the specifics of the offence, Onwuenwunor added: “On 10 March 2019, he had earlier submitted a handwritten note detailing how he was chased away from the collation centre and that he was forced to announce the result. Less than 24 hours later, he generated another result, came up with the official final result, declaring the winner for the election. He returned a winner for an election that there was no collation in any of the levels, no collation from the Polling Unit, no collation from Ward Level, none at the Local Government Area level before it got to him as Returning Officer.”
The INEC counsel also criticised Uduk’s repeated court absences and the fraudulent medical reports he used to delay proceedings.
“He refused to attend court on several occasions and procured a forged medical report from Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, saying he was sick. It took the Commissioner of Police Lagos State Command to verify the authenticity of that medical report. It turned out from the police report that he was never anywhere near Lagos on those days he claimed and the doctor he claimed issued the medical report never existed in the payroll of the university’s teaching hospital.”
