Sahara Reporters has taken to it’s official X handle and announced that the crisis is brewing within the Nigeria Police Force as six senior officers, accused of falsifying their ages and overstaying their tenure, have turned against Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun. The disgruntled officers are demanding that the police chief retire alongside them, arguing that his continued stay in office is just as illegitimate as theirs.
The officers—Idowu Owohunwa, Simon Lough (SAN), Benneth Igweh, Aina Emmanuel, Salama Wakili Abdul, and Adepoju Olugbenga—have not only refused to accept their retirement letters but have also threatened legal action against Egbetokun, branding all his post-retirement decisions “illegal and void.”
The embattled IGP had issued a directive ordering the officers to appear before the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC) at the police headquarters in Abuja between Monday, February 10, and Thursday, February 13. According to sources, the disciplinary committee is considering demotion or outright dismissal of the officers to force them out of service.
“The goal of the IGP Force Disciplinary Committee is to reduce the ranks of these officers and/or dismiss them outright,” a source disclosed.
However, the officers are refusing to go down quietly. They argue that Egbetokun himself should have retired on September 4, 2024, but was saved by a controversial extension granted by President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly.
“If Egbetokun is still in office despite surpassing his retirement age, then we also remain in service,” one of the officers reportedly told SaharaReporters.
The defiant officers are using their summons to the disciplinary panel as evidence that the police hierarchy still recognizes them as active officers.
“If they were truly retired, why were they instructed to appear in full working dress for the disciplinary proceedings?” a source questioned, calling it an implicit admission that they remain in service.
The mutiny within the force comes as nearly 500 officers have been implicated in a massive forgery and age-falsification scandal. While some have quietly retired, others have taken their fight to the National Industrial Court, allegedly securing promises from police lawyers that they would not be forced out.
Beyond the disciplinary battle, the police force is witnessing a power struggle. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dasuki Galandanchi, who is due for retirement next month, has been pushing for a two-year extension, citing the precedent set by Egbetokun’s extended tenure.
Galandanchi has reportedly been at odds with the IGP, demanding that if he must retire, then Egbetokun must also step down. Sources within the force describe Galandanchi as a flamboyant officer with a controversial lifestyle, leading to Egbetokun’s reluctance to support his tenure extension.
The controversy over Egbetokun’s tenure stems from the Nigerian Senate’s passage of the Police Act (Amendment) Bill 2024, which was designed to extend the tenure of the Inspector General. The amendment, which was championed by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, has been met with criticism, as many see it as a political maneuver to keep Egbetokun in power.
With tensions escalating, all eyes are on the disciplinary committee proceedings. If the six senior officers are demoted or dismissed, it could set a precedent that forces others implicated in the scandal to step aside. However, if they succeed in their defiance, it may trigger a legal and institutional crisis that questions the legitimacy of IGP Egbetokun’s authority.
The Nigeria Police Force now stands at a crossroads, with its leadership embroiled in a battle of legitimacy that threatens to shake the institution to its core.
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