The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Tuesday dismissed an appeal filed by the Police Service Commission (PSC) challenging the reinstatement of 455 senior police officers who were compulsorily retired in January 2025.
The appeal, marked CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1829MI/2025, arose from the judgement of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Abuja Division, which had nullified the retirement of the officers and ordered their immediate reinstatement.
In a unanimous decision delivered by Justices Okorowo, Banjoko and Abang, the appellate court upheld the earlier ruling of the NICN, describing the appeal as lacking merit.
The NICN judgement, delivered on September 30, 2025, by Justice R.B. Haastrup, had declared the retirement exercise carried out by the PSC and the then Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, illegal and without justification.
The court subsequently ordered the immediate reinstatement of the affected officers, alongside the payment of all outstanding salaries and allowances.
It also restrained the PSC and the former IGP from taking any further action aimed at unlawfully retiring the officers.
The case originated from a suit filed by ACP Chinedu Ambrose Emengaha and others, marked NICN/ABJ/28/2025, following their compulsory retirement on January 31, 2025.
The mass retirement had triggered widespread controversy within the Nigerian Police Force, with critics describing it as arbitrary and unjustified.
Among those affected were senior officers, including AIG Idowu Owohunwa, AIG Ben Igwe, and DCP Simon Lough (SAN).
Dissatisfied with the NICN ruling, both the PSC and the former IGP filed separate appeals at the Court of Appeal.
However, in an earlier ruling on March 16, 2026, the appellate court struck out a similar appeal filed by the IGP and the Force Secretary in suit No. CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1620MI/2025, describing it as frivolous.
With the dismissal of the PSC’s appeal, the appellate court has effectively affirmed the judgement of the NICN and brought the protracted legal dispute to a close.
The judgement settles the contentious issue surrounding the date of the first appointment of Cadet ASP Courses 18, 19, and 20 of the Nigeria Police Academy.
The ruling is being widely regarded as a significant rebuke of administrative overreach and a reaffirmation of the rule of law within the police system.
Concerned stakeholders have urged the current Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the PSC to comply fully with the court’s decision.
They expressed optimism that the present leadership would avoid the controversies associated with the previous administration and uphold due process, stressing the need for immediate implementation of the court orders to restore confidence and morale within the force.
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