New Telegraph - About 30 senior police officers retired in 2016 yesterday dragged President Muhammadu Buhari, Attorney-General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of Police before the National Industrial Court (NIC) sitting in Abuja over alleged illegal retirement.
Also cited, as co-defendants in the suit, are the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force. The officers, who were from the rank of Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of police, were retired at the instance of the IGP.
The plaintiffs, through their counsel, J.U Pius, are challenging their retirement on ground that the force was ‘influenced’ to retire them.
The plaintiffs are seeking the powers of the court to interpret certain parts of the constitution binding on the Police Service Commission (PSC) and its retirement processes.
They alleged that the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, while in an acting capacity, wrote to the presidency to retire 30 senior officers from the rank of Assistant Inspector- General of Police.
The officers, however, want the court to interpret certain laws in line with their retirement, which they claimed was influenced.
When the matter came up for mention yesterday, counsel to the plaintiffs told the court that all defendants in the suit were duly served notices on August 16, 2016, to appear in court, but failed to enter appearance. He, however, prayed the court for an adjourned date to hear the substantive matter.
The presiding judge, Justice Rakiya Hasstrup, after going through the records, discovered that only the first defendant, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was served notice.
The court later adjourned the case till February 22 for further mention, but, however, ordered that notices be duly served on all five defendants in the suit before the next adjourned date.
Idris had, on resumption in office, allegedly wrote the presidency through the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, recommending retirement of senior police officers.
It was also reported then that he hinged the decision on the fact that he could not work with them because they were his seniors.
Some of the affected AIGs are Bala A. Hassan, Yahaya Garba Ardo, Irmiya F. Yarima, Danladi Y. Mshebwala, Tambari Y.Mohammed, Bala Magaji Nasarawa, Musa Abdulsalam, Adisa Bolanta, Mohammed J Gana, Umaru Abubakar Manko, Lawal Tanko and Olufemi A. Adenike. Also affected are Johnson A. Ogunsakin, Adenrele T. Shinaba, James O. Caulcric, Olufemi David Ogunbayode, Edgar T Nanakumo, Kalafite H. Adeyemi, Patrick D. Dokumor, Mbu Joseph Mbu and Sabo Ibrahim Ringim. The police stated that the matter is before the legal department.
“We have read it (suit) in the newspaper, and the IG has referred it to the Legal Department,” FPRO told New Telegraph last night.
Meanwhile, at least 4,000 policemen, who passed the 2015 Departmental Selection Board (DSB) screening, to move from the rank of Inspectors to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), are yet to get the promotion.
These policemen have appealed to the police hierarchy to review their case. In a letter addressed to the IGP, and Chairman of PSC, Sir Mike Okiro, the affected policemen said they have spent one year after passing the promotion examination, but are yet to be promoted.
The letter, signed by the spokesman for the group, Mr. Olaleye Aladesanmi, said that the 4,000 officers are part of the 9,000 that passed the exam, adding that the other 5,000 had since been promoted to their due ranks.
The letter reads in part: “Sir, we want to state categorically as follows: That over 13,000 inspectors attended the September 2015 board interview scheduled in different zones of the federation.
Reference to your publication in the police gazette and Force Order, that 9,000 plus passed the Departmental Selection Board (DSB).
That from January 2016 till date, 5,000 officers have been promoted to substantive rank of ASP, leaving about 4,000 Inspectors, who also passed the DSB interview behind.
“It was noticed that a lot of juniors between 2011 and 2014 have been promoted, leaving behind 2009 and 2010 Inspectors who are due.
“On assumption of office, our able IGP Ibrahim K. Idris set up a committee to look into the irregularities and lopsidedness in the last promotion exercise that stirred chaos and rancour amongst the force, termed promotion of discord by the former IGP Solomon Arase (rtd), dated July 17, 2016.
He promised to promote the affected officers. “We are yet to know or see the outcome of the committee. In all fairness, to ensure equity and boost morale of the said officers, we pray the IGP and PSC to promote the affected officers and back date same to January 1, 2016, with or without payment as justice delayed is justice denied.
We trust that there will be a tremendous experience of change under your watch and pray for the best police force Nigeria can have.”
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