The Nigeria Police Force has agreed to comply with a National Industrial Court ruling that ordered the reinstatement of 92 officers who were forced into early retirement.
The affected officers, who were members of Course 33, 34, and 35 of the Nigeria Police Academy, were retired in 2021 despite not reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60 or completing 35 years of service. They challenged their dismissal in court, and in April 2022, the court ruled in their favor, directing their reinstatement.
However, the officers alleged that the Inspector General of Police, the Police Service Commission, and the Secretary of the Police Force failed to implement the ruling. Seeking enforcement, they returned to court, requesting a contempt order against the IGP for non-compliance.
Following legal pressure, the police instructed the officers to report to Abuja in August 2024 for documentation, seen as a step toward reinstatement.
During a committal proceeding at the National Industrial Court, the officers’ lawyer, Adeleke Agbola (SAN), urged the court to ensure the judgment was upheld. He pointed out that a Police Service Commission circular suggested recalculating the officers’ service years from their initial enlistment rather than their academy entry date, contradicting the court’s earlier decision.
“There is no appeal against this judgment. I urge the court to maintain the status quo until the contempt proceedings determine whether the ruling has been breached,” Agbola argued.
In response, police counsel Ade Adedeji (SAN) assured the court that the force was taking steps to comply fully with the judgment.
“We have taken steps to obey the court’s judgment. There is no appeal against it; it is final. The circular in question does not affect the claimants. All the affected officers have been posted. I give an undertaking that the police will comply with the judgment and uphold the rule of law,” Adedeji stated.