The National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja has adjourned its ruling on a case filed by officers of Courses 18, 19, and 20 of the Police Academy, who are challenging their alleged forceful retirement by the Police Service Commission (PSC), the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Force Secretary. The case, which had initially been scheduled for a ruling on Tuesday, has now been adjourned to March 17, with the court directing that hearing notices be served to the 2nd and 3rd defendants.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!During the proceedings, the counsel for the plaintiffs, Goddy Uche (SAN), informed the court that the 2nd and 3rd defendants, despite not being present in court, had taken action to reduce the rank of some of the claimants and retire them from the Nigeria Police Force while the case remains unresolved. These actions have further compounded the grievances of the officers who are contesting their unlawful retirement before meeting the mandatory service years or retirement age.
The claimants, including ACP Chinedu Emengaha, ACP Victor Chilaka, and several CSPs, have challenged the PSC, IGP, and the Force Secretary over what they consider wrongful retirement and non-implementation of previous court judgments. The officers, representing themselves and other affected colleagues, are seeking an injunction to prevent the retirement or suspension of any officer from their course who has not yet completed 35 years of pensionable service or reached the retirement age of 60 years.
Additionally, the officers are calling for the court to quash the actions taken by the defendants and reaffirm the validity of prior judgments delivered by the National Industrial Court in 2019, which had ruled on the date of appointment of the force entrants.
The claimants are asking the court to declare that the defendants cannot revise the date of first appointment of the officers, which was determined by the court in its earlier ruling. They also seek a permanent injunction restraining the defendants from unlawfully retiring any member of the cadet ASPs from Courses 18, 19, and 20 who has not yet fulfilled the required conditions for retirement.
This legal battle highlights the ongoing tension within the Nigeria Police Force, particularly regarding the administration of retirements, promotions, and service conditions for its officers. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the governance of the police force and the treatment of its personnel.
