The Nigerian Police Force is currently embroiled in an escalating crisis as six senior officers, implicated in age falsification and circumventing service regulations, have defiantly threatened the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun. The officers, all of whom are either over 60 years of age or have served for more than 35 years, are demanding that Egbetokun retire alongside them, claiming that his tenure, too, has expired under the same rules they are being subjected to.
The senior officers in question—Idowu Owohunwa, Simon Lough, SAN, Benneth Igweh, Aina Emmanuel, Salama Wakili Abdul, and Adepoju Olugbenga—have been at the heart of a controversial scandal involving falsified records, including age discrepancies and breaches of service protocols. Their refusal to comply with retirement orders issued by the IGP has sparked a tense standoff between them and the police leadership.
On February 7, 2025, IGP Egbetokun directed that these officers appear before a disciplinary committee at the Force Headquarters in Abuja from February 10 to 13. This directive follows allegations that these officers, who should have retired years ago, continued to serve beyond the legally prescribed age or years of service—some by as much as a decade or more.
Police sources indicate that the disciplinary hearings may result in demotions or outright dismissals, as part of a concerted effort to cleanse the ranks of officers who have overstayed their service tenure. The Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC) is tasked with investigating the extent of the officers’ misconduct and deciding on the appropriate punitive measures.
“The goal of the FDC is clear: to either reduce the ranks of these officers or dismiss them entirely,” a source close to the ongoing investigation stated.
However, the officers implicated in the scandal are not taking these developments lightly. They are insisting that if they are to be forced into retirement, IGP Egbetokun must also step down since his tenure, which officially ended on September 4, 2024, according to service regulations, was extended by presidential and legislative intervention. These officers argue that his actions since that date—including the issuance of retirement letters to them—are illegal.
“The officers are essentially saying that if they are to retire, then Egbetokun must retire with them,” one source revealed. “They claim that everything Egbetokun has done since his official retirement is void, including his attempts to retire them.”
The conflict escalated when the senior officers were ordered to report for their disciplinary hearings dressed in their “clean working dress,” a directive they are using as evidence to argue that they are still in active service. In their view, if they are required to show up in uniform, it is an implicit admission by the police authorities that they have not been retired, thus rendering any actions taken against them as illegal.
The crisis has only deepened as internal divisions within the Nigeria Police Force continue to emerge. Senior officers are openly defying Egbetokun’s orders, with many refusing to acknowledge the authority of the IGP, further undermining his control over the Force.
The situation has been compounded by the defiant actions of other senior officers implicated in the scandal, many of whom have quietly retired to avoid the public fallout. However, a significant number of officers are either challenging their forced retirements in court or, like Lough and Owohunwa, openly resisting any attempts to enforce the directive.
In total, nearly 500 officers have been implicated in the wider scandal, which includes accusations of forgery, falsification of birth records, and attempts to bypass service regulations. The officers involved have been accused of age manipulation, with many exceeding the maximum service age of 60, while others have served beyond the stipulated 35 years of service.
Some of the most notable officers involved include Simon Lough, who should have retired on January 8, 2022, based on his enlistment date, and Benneth Igweh, who surpassed his retirement threshold on January 5, 2023. These officers, along with several others, have continued to serve without regard to the rules governing their retirement, leading to a growing crisis within the force.
Sources within the police have disclosed that some officers, seeking to avoid public disgrace, have sought legal recourse through the National Industrial Court. The IGP’s lawyer has reportedly promised to prevent their retirements, further adding fuel to the controversy.
On Friday, February 9, the matter reached a boiling point when over 200 senior officers, accused of falsifying their birth records and overstaying their service, openly refused to retire, citing the precedent set by Egbetokun’s own extension. This defiance has ignited a new wave of tension within the Force, with certain factions threatening open mutiny.
In particular, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Dasuki Galandanchi is at odds with Egbetokun, demanding a two-year extension to his tenure in the same vein that Egbetokun had been granted an extension. Galandanchi, who is set to retire next month, has openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the IGP’s leadership, describing Egbetokun’s actions as arbitrary and self-serving.
“It’s simple,” one insider stated, “Galandanchi is saying if he has to retire, then Egbetokun must retire too. It’s a standoff, and it has turned personal between the two of them.”
The ongoing turmoil is further complicated by the political backdrop. On July 23, 2024, the Nigerian Senate passed the Police Act (Amendment) Bill, allowing Egbetokun to remain in office despite having reached the official retirement age. This bill, which passed with much controversy, extended Egbetokun’s tenure beyond his official retirement date of September 4, 2024, by securing approval from both the President and the National Assembly.
The amendment, which was seen as a political maneuver to allow Egbetokun to retain power, has not been without its critics. A growing number of senior officers within the force believe that the extension was politically motivated and that it undermines the integrity of the police service.
Amid these developments, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has been tasked with overseeing the retirement process. The PSC recently approved the immediate retirement of all officers who have exceeded the 60-year age limit or served for more than 35 years. This directive was communicated to IGP Egbetokun on January 31, 2025, for implementation.
In a statement, Ikechukwu Ani, the PSC Head of Press and Public Relations, confirmed the decision, emphasizing that all affected officers must retire in accordance with the guidelines. However, this move has been met with resistance, as many senior officers are seeking to challenge their retirements, some through legal means.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains unclear whether IGP Egbetokun will be able to maintain control over the Force. His leadership is increasingly under scrutiny, and with mounting opposition from within the ranks, the future of the Nigeria Police Force hangs in the balance. The disciplinary hearings scheduled for February 10-13 will likely be a pivotal moment in determining whether the Force can restore order or whether this internal crisis will spiral into a full-blown rebellion.
The outcome of these hearings, combined with the wider political context, will undoubtedly shape the future of law enforcement in Nigeria and determine whether the Force can overcome this scandalous chapter in its history.
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