Senior Police Officers Face Demotion, Dismissal Over Age Falsification

• Six senior police officers face possible demotion or dismissal over alleged age falsification and service regulation breaches.
• The officers have been summoned to appear before the Police Disciplinary Committee from February 10 to 13, 2025.
• They may be required to refund salaries earned during their extended period in service if found guilty.

Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) Benneth Igweh, Idowu Owohunwa, and four other senior officers face possible demotion or dismissal over allegations of age falsification and violation of service regulations.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that according to sources at Force Headquarters, a wireless message dated February 7, 2025, directed the affected officers to appear before the Police Disciplinary Committee for questioning.

The officers summoned include AIG Benneth Igweh, AIG Idowu Owohunwa, DCP Simon Lough (SAN), CP Aina Emmanuel, CP Salama Abdul, and Adepoju Olugbenga. They have been instructed to attend hearings in their “clean working dress” while adhering to the official dress code.

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The disciplinary sessions are scheduled from Monday, February 10, to Thursday, February 13, 2025.

A source revealed that after the committee’s review, the officers could be demoted to the ranks at which they should have retired. Additionally, they may be required to reimburse salaries earned during their extended service period.

“Once the disciplinary process is concluded, the officers will either be demoted or dismissed. They will be reduced to the ranks they were due to retire on and must refund salaries earned during their unauthorized extension,” the source stated.

The Police Service Commission (PSC) had earlier, on January 31, 2025, approved the immediate retirement of officers who had either completed 35 years in service or reached the age of 60.

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Subsequently, on February 1, 2025, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun issued a directive enforcing the retirement of affected officers.

However, the summoned officers refused to step down, arguing that IGP Egbetokun himself had received a tenure extension, which they believed justified their continued stay in service.

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