The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, is facing mounting criticism over allegations that he deliberately delayed an investigation into senior police officers accused of backdating their service records to extend their time in office. The probe, which he initiated in January 2025, reportedly came only after the Senate extended his own tenure.
SaharaReporters, through its official X handle, revealed that Egbetokun had been aware of widespread age falsification within the force but refrained from taking action until he secured his own service extension. The Nigerian Senate, on July 23, 2024, controversially passed the Police Act (Amendment) Bill 2024, allowing for an extension of the IGP’s tenure beyond September.
The Delayed Probe and the Officers Under Investigation
In a memo dated January 13, 2025, signed by Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Force Secretary, Olofu Rhoda, the IGP directed the Monitoring Unit to investigate several senior officers. Those named in the memo include:
AIG Idowu Owohunwa – Head of INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB)
AIG Abdul Yari
AIG Ben Igwe
CP Peter Ukachi Opara
CP Obo Obo Ukani
DCP Simon Asamber Lough (SAN)
ACP Akpan Brown
This investigation stemmed from a letter dated January 6, 2025, sent by a civic group, the Integrity Youth Alliance, which flagged the officers for allegedly tampering with their service records. However, sources claim Egbetokun’s sudden interest in the matter was politically motivated.
A Self-Serving Agenda?
Multiple sources allege that Egbetokun, despite knowing about the age falsification scandal, chose to ignore it while lobbying the National Assembly to amend the Police Act in his favor. His tenure extension, which sparked widespread backlash, raised questions about his integrity and priorities as Nigeria’s top cop.
SaharaReporters had earlier exposed how Egbetokun allocated substantial funds to lobby for the amendment, which sought to increase the retirement age for police officers from 60 to 65 years and extend service years from 35 to 40. The bill faced resistance from various stakeholders, including:
The Police Service Commission (PSC)
The Ministry of Police Affairs
The National Salaries and Wages Commission
These institutions warned that such an extension could lead to stagnation within the force, limit opportunities for younger officers, and set a dangerous precedent for other security agencies like the military and paramilitary organizations.
Senior officers within the police force were reportedly angered by Egbetokun’s push for an extended tenure, seeing it as a selfish move. The Ministry of Police Affairs further argued that increasing service years would negatively affect police morale, adaptability, and innovation.
A police source revealed that in October 2023, a wireless message was circulated, acknowledging the trend of officers refusing to retire despite reaching the mandatory limit. The message reaffirmed the Public Service Rule (PSR) 020810, which mandates retirement at either 60 years of age or 35 years of pensionable service. Yet, Egbetokun failed to act at the time.
On Friday, SaharaReporters reported that the Police Service Commission (PSC) had approved the immediate retirement of all senior police officers who exceeded the legal retirement limits. The extraordinary meeting, chaired by PSC Chairman DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd), concluded with a firm directive for their removal.
PSC spokesperson Ikechukwu Ani confirmed in a statement that the decision had been communicated to the IGP for immediate implementation.
A Widening Scandal: Over 300 Officers Implicated
Further investigations revealed that over 300 police officers were implicated in the age falsification scandal. Among them is DCP Simon Asamber Lough (SAN), the Head of the NPF Legal Section, who, along with several others, will reportedly face quiet retirement.
Egbetokun’s actions—or lack thereof—have cast a long shadow over the integrity of Nigeria’s police leadership. The delay in probing senior officers, coupled with allegations of lobbying for personal tenure extension, paints a picture of a self-serving agenda rather than a commitment to reform.
With the PSC now taking decisive action, the pressure is mounting on Egbetokun to either clean house or face deeper scrutiny. Whether this signals the beginning of true accountability within the Nigeria Police Force or merely another chapter of institutional maneuvering remains to be seen.
PIONEER NEWS 