A group of former police officers is urgently calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure the implementation of a court judgment ordering their reinstatement, following what they describe as unlawful and premature retirement from service.
The officers, who entered the Nigeria Police Force as part of Courses 33, 34, and 35 of the Police Academy, were compulsorily retired before completing the statutory 35 years of service. They successfully challenged this action at the National Industrial Court (NIC).
In April 2022, Justice Oyewumi Oyebiola of the NIC ruled in their favour, directing the Inspector General of Police, the Police Service Commission, and the Force Secretary to reinstate them and refrain from any further compulsory retirement.
However, nearly four years after the court's decision, the order has yet to be obeyed, leaving the affected officers in professional and financial limbo.
In a new letter to President Tinubu delivered through their lawyer, Mr. Adetoye Adejola, the retired officers highlighted the contradiction between the police authority's refusal to recall them and the President's recent directive to redeploy police officers from VIP duties to frontline policing.
The letter argues that reinstating these experienced and capable officers would directly support national security efforts by bolstering police manpower with seasoned personnel.
Their lawyer praised President Tinubu's recent reform redirecting officers to core policing duties but pointed out that the force continues to overlook a pool of trained and agile professionals who are legally entitled to serve.
The appeal urges the President to enforce the court's judgment, recall the officers, and demonstrate a commitment to justice, the rule of law, and professional integrity within the Nigeria Police Force.
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