Sacked Police Officers Writes Tinubu, Demand Reinstatement Following Court Order

A group of disengaged police officers, who were allegedly forced into retirement without consideration for their years of service, have appealed to President Bola Tinubu for help.

These officers, from Courses 33, 34, and 35 of the Police Academy, claim they were unfairly retired and have since secured a judgment from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria ordering their reinstatement.

However, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has yet to comply with the court’s directive. Through their lawyer, Olatoye Adejola, the officers have written to President Tinubu, urging him to intervene and direct the IGP to re-engage them as ordered by the court.

According to the letter, the force ordered the concerned cops to report to Abuja in August 2024, for documentation with the expectation that they would be reabsorbed into force but after the documentation, nothing was heard from the force on the matter.

The letter read, “We are solicitors to Police Officers who are members of Courses 33, 34 and 35 (Force Entrants) of the Police Academy of the Nigeria Police Force (hereinafter referred to as “our clients”) and on whose mandate we write this letter of complaint as a corollary to our previous letters and other steps already taken by our clients to ease their long-time suffering and pains as a result of inaction of the police authorities.

“We wish to express our deep concerns about the failure of the Inspector General of Police in ensuring compliance and implementation of the directive of the commission to the effect that the Industrial Court judgment in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/281/2021 be enforced, and all officers affected by the judgment are to have their dates of appointment regularized.

“Our clients were very elated and optimistic when they received signals to report at Abuja between 12th and 16th August, 2024 for further documentation with a view to receiving their letter of posting for the officers to resume at their duty posts and subsequently having their salary restored.

“However, over two months after the documentation had been concluded, no official statement was made or any information received from the IGP. Our clients are confused and at the same time in total dismay as they are in darkness as to what exactly is the problem, having completed the documentation processes.”

Also, the officers urged the President to use his office to further direct the IGP to without further delay, “expedite action on the regularization of their dates of appointment as directed in the court judgement from a competent jurisdiction and without any appeal against it”.