Police officers from Courses 33, 34, and 35 at the Police Academy are protesting against potential forced retirement, demanding that the Police Service Commission (PSC) adhere to a National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) ruling which mandates the regularization of their initial appointment dates.
The PSC, in a recent meeting in Abuja, announced the compulsory retirement of officers who have served over 35 years or reached the age of 60. This decision was based on revisiting an earlier 2017 plenary session where the date of appointment was set against the date of enlistment, which the PSC now deems in violation of public service retirement rules.
Ikechukwu Ani, the PSC’s spokesperson, stated, “Accordingly, the Commission at its 1st extraordinary meeting of the 6th Management Board held today, Friday, 31st January 2025, approved the immediate retirement of those officers who have spent more than 35 years in service and those above 60 years of age.”
However, these officers, led by CSP Egong Egwu Egong among others, argue that this move contravenes a court judgment from April 19, 2022, and reinforced on February 4, 2025, which recognized their service start dates from when they entered the Police Academy, not when they were enlisted as recruit constables.
Justice O. A. Obaseki Osaghae of the NICN has ruled that:
- The appointment dates for Course 33 should be June 10, 1994, Course 34 – August 6, 1996, and Course 35 – May 1, 2000.
- The PSC’s decision from the 24th Plenary Meeting to regularize these dates remains legally binding.
- The PSC and Nigeria Police Force must update officers’ records to reflect these correct dates, reverse any premature retirements, and ensure full entitlements are paid.
The officers’ counsel, Adeleke Agbola (SAN), accused the PSC of contempt by issuing a contradictory circular, suggesting that the first appointment date should be the commissioning date. He called for the court to maintain the status quo and potentially initiate contempt proceedings against the PSC.
In contrast, Ade Adedeji (SAN), representing the PSC, assured the court of their intent to comply with the judgment, highlighting that no appeal had been filed against the ruling. He mentioned steps taken to appropriately post the affected officers.
The court has set the next hearing for March 18, 2025, to review compliance or proceed with contempt actions against the PSC.
The aggrieved officers have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney General to intervene, ensuring that the rule of law is upheld. They warn of legal repercussions if the PSC continues to defy the court’s order.
This conflict stems from the officers’ long-standing claim that they were unfairly excluded from a previous regularization granted to similar cohorts, leading to the current legal battle for justice and recognition of their service tenure.