Despite a court order reinstating them into service, some dismissed police officers have petitioned the Acting Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to review their dismissal and correct the obvious injustice against them.
The officer who was forced to retire asked Egbetokun to order the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Force Secretary to reconsider their dismissal and reinstate them as ordered by the Industrial Court.
The officers, speaking through their representative in a statement issued and signed by Emmanuel Idris, said they were forced to retire from the force despite a court ruling ordering the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission not to forcefully retire them because they had not served for 60 years or 35 years.
The officers, who are members of cadet inspector force entrants 33, 34, and 35, have petitioned the police chief to implement the court’s decision to reinstate them.
They expressed concern about the failure of the previous IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, and other relevant authorities to follow the court’s ruling.
According to the sacked officers, the court delivered the judgment in April 2022, and the defendants have yet to implement the judgment, which was delivered by NICN Justice Oyewumi Oyebiola.
The statement stated that;
This judgement has been given since April last year. But to our dismay, the former IGP vehemently refused to do the needful even after the directives to do so and the advice from the police service commission and police legal department, respectively.
The action of the former IGP was also puzzling when he immediately implemented a similar court judgement not long ago involving our ASP counterparts of courses 18,19 and 20.
It became surprising why what was sauce for the geese was not sauce for the gander. The letter from the PSC as well as the advice from the CP legal to the former IGP.
We, the members of the above courses force entrants, are appealing to you to help in the implementation of the court judgement in suit number NICN /ABJ/281/2021CSP ECONG EGWO EGONG&3OTHERS VS PSC AND TWO OTHERS.
Your Contemporaries and those who have had the opportunity to work with you all attested to your integrity. That you are an Officer who does his job with the fear of God, fairness, equity and justice.
Consequently, we urge our new IGP to use his good offices to correct this obvious injustice. Wishing you a prosperous tenure as you take up the mantle of leadership of Nigeria Police.