IGP Egbetokun Tightens Noose On Senior Officers Accused Of Manipulating Birth Certificates To Prolong Service
ABUJA — In a dramatic turn of events that has jolted Nigeria’s policing establishment, five senior retired officers of the Nigeria Police Force, including a former Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), two Commissioners of Police (CPs), a Deputy Commissioner (DCP), and an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), are set to be arraigned before an Abuja High Court on Thursday over alleged falsification of age records.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, personally sanctioned the prosecution following months of internal queries and investigations triggered by a whistleblower petition from a civil society watchdog, the Integrity Youth Alliance.
Court filings revealed that Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has fixed September 25, 2025, for the officers’ formal arraignment on a 14-count criminal charge bordering on forgery, conspiracy, and breach of public service rules.
The Accused Officers
Those listed in the charge sheet include:
Idowu Owohunwa, Retired AIG
Benneth Igwe, Retired CP
Ukachi Opara, Retired CP
Obo Ukam Obo, Retired DCP
Simon Lough, Retired ACP
Court documents also hinted at “others at large” who may have been complicit in the age-rigging scheme.
The Alleged Fraud
According to the charge sheet, the officers systematically manipulated official records to extend their years in service:
Owohunwa allegedly altered his records in December 2024, declaring July 20, 1970 as his birth date instead of his actual 1967 date.
Igwe was accused of changing his birth year from 1964 to 1968, with further contradictions in his enlistment papers showing 1988 in one record and 1996 in another.
Lough allegedly tampered with his files in July 2022, pushing his date of birth from May 14, 1967 to May 14, 1969.
The offences are punishable under Sections 97, 161, 366, and 158 of the Penal Code, carrying potential jail terms if convicted.
The Defence
The accused officers have dismissed the allegations as “baseless witch-hunts,” insisting the discrepancies arose from clerical mix-ups and administrative processes.
In his written defence dated January 16, 2025, Owohunwa admitted a “mix-up” in his Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER) form, but maintained that his official appointment date of August 15, 1996 was never in dispute.
Igwe and Lough argued that their service records were misinterpreted, citing provisions of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) scheme, which allows officers who undergo conversion training to be treated as having re-enlisted.
The Petition That Sparked The Storm
The case stemmed from a petition submitted in January by Integrity Youth Alliance, led by activist Kelvin Adegbenga, alleging that the officers deliberately manipulated their records to stay longer in uniform and unlawfully benefit from extended service.
IGP Egbetokun swiftly issued queries of serious misconduct on January 7, 2025. Despite the officers’ responses, police authorities insisted the inconsistencies were “too weighty to be swept under the carpet.”
A Watershed Case For Police Accountability
Analysts say Thursday’s arraignment could set a historic precedent in Nigeria’s policing system, where allegations of record falsification and service manipulation have long been whispered but rarely prosecuted at such a high level.
“This trial is not just about five officers; it’s about restoring credibility to an institution that must lead by example,” a senior police source told reporters.
If convicted, the retired officers could face not only prison terms but also the loss of retirement benefits and honours.
This article was lifted from the Sahara reporters and was re polish by the pioneer newspaper team
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