The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on April 14, 2026, dismissed Appeal No. CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1829MI/2025 between the Police Service Commission (PSC) and ACP Chinedu Ambrose Emengaha & 8 others, challenging the judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division.
The lower court’s judgment, delivered by Hon. Justice R.B. Haastrup, had set aside the illegal and forceful retirement of 455 senior police officers by former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun and the Police Service Commission (PSC) on January 31, 2025.
The ruling has effectively laid to rest the controversy surrounding the dates of first appointment into the Nigeria Police Force for Cadet ASP Courses 18, 19, and 20 entrants from the Police Academy.
Earlier, on March 16, 2026, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, struck out a separate appeal on the same matter (Suit No. CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1620MI/2025), filed by the IGP and the Force Secretary, describing it as frivolous.
It will be recalled that on January 31, 2025, the Police Service Commission, in conjunction with then IGP Kayode Egbetokun, forcefully retired 455 senior police officers without cause, sparking widespread outrage within the force.
Among those affected were AIG Idowu Owohunwa, AIG Ben Igwe, and DCP Simon Lough (SAN), among others.
The officers subsequently approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/28/2025 between ACP Chinedu Ambrose Emengaha & 7 others vs. the Police Service Commission & 2 others.
On September 30, 2025, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division, in a judgment delivered by Hon. Justice R.B. Haastrup, granted all the reliefs sought by the officers.
The court ordered, among other directives, that the Police Service Commission and the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, immediately reinstate the affected officers and pay all outstanding salaries and allowances.
The court also restrained both parties from further unlawful actions aimed at retiring the officers.
Rather than comply with the ruling, Egbetokun and the Police Service Commission filed separate appeals at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division. While Egbetokun’s appeal was struck out for lacking merit on March 16, 2026, the PSC’s appeal was dismissed on April 14, 2026, in a concurrent judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Okorowo, Hon. Justice Banjoko, and Hon. Justice Abang.
These landmark rulings have collectively brought an end to what observers describe as injustice and administrative impunity in the handling of the affected officers’ retirements.
Concerned citizens have expressed hope that the new IGP, Olatunji Disu, and the leadership of the Police Service Commission will not follow the path of administrative impunity and disobedience of court orders allegedly witnessed under the previous leadership.
They urged the new police leadership and the Commission comprising retired Supreme Court justices, seasoned lawyers, and retired senior police officers to promptly comply with the court’s directive by reinstating the affected officers, in line with the judgment of the National Industrial Court as affirmed by the Court of Appeal.
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