Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has filed a 14-count charge against five retired senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for allegedly falsifying their ages to unlawfully extend their service years.
The case, now before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, is set for arraignment on September 25. Those named in the charge include retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Idowu Owohunwa; retired Commissioners of Police Benneth Igwe and Ukachi Opara; retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Obo Ukam Obo; and retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Simon Lough. The charge also lists “others at large.”
Investigators allege that some of the defendants altered birth records and enlistment dates to prolong their careers, in violation of public service rules and Sections 97, 161, 366, and 158 of the Penal Code. For instance, Igwe is accused of backdating his birth year by four years, while Lough allegedly changed his records in 2022 to reflect a younger age.
The officers have denied wrongdoing, describing the case as politically motivated and rooted in a petition filed by the civil society group Integrity Youth Alliance. They argue that discrepancies in their records stem from administrative errors and career upgrade schemes, not deliberate falsification.
Justice Halilu will preside over the arraignment on September 25.
