Police to arraign five retired senior officers over ‘age falsification’

Police to arraign five retired senior officers over ‘age falsification’

 Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police (IGP), has
filed charges against five retired senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force
(NPF) for allegedly falsifying their ages to unlawfully extend their service
years.

 

The case, brought before the federal capital territory (FCT)
high court, has been assigned to Yusuf Halilu, a judge, who has fixed September
25 for the arraignment of the defendants.

 

The 14-count charge lists Idowu Owohunwa, a retired
assistant inspector-general of police; Benneth Igwe and Ukachi Opara, both
retired commissioners of police; Obo Ukam Obo, a retired deputy commissioner of
police; and Simon Lough, a retired assistant commissioner of police. The charge
also referenced “others at large”.

 

According to the police, Owohunwa allegedly falsified a
declaration of age in Abuja in December 2024, claiming he was born on July 20,
1970, instead of his actual date of birth.

 

 

Igwe is accused of altering his record to reflect October 7,
1968, as his date of birth, when investigators found he was born four years
earlier.

 

His enlistment record was also said to contain
contradictions, showing both 1988 and 1996 as entry dates.

 

Lough was accused of falsifying his age in July 2022 to
remain in service. While his records initially reflected May 14, 1967, he
allegedly altered them to May 14, 1969.

 

 

According to the police authorities, the acts violate the
public service rules and are punishable under sections 97, 161, 366, and 158 of
the Penal Code.

 

The accused officers have denied any wrongdoing, dismissing
the allegations as malicious and politically motivated.

 

They said the case stemmed from a petition by the Integrity
Youth Alliance, a civil society group led by Kelvin Adegbenga, which accused
them of manipulating service records.

 

Following the petition, the IGP had, on January 7, 2025,
issued them queries for serious misconduct.

 

 

In his response dated January 16, Owohunwa admitted that a
clerical mix-up in his APER form for senior police officers had mistakenly
listed 1970 as his birth year instead of 1967.

 

He insisted that his official appointment date remained
August 15, 1996.

 

Igwe and Lough also claimed their innocence, arguing that
the petitioners had confused their career records with the Administrative Staff
College of Nigeria (ASCON) scheme, which allows certain officers to be upgraded
and effectively resets their service records.

Source: Police to arraign five retired senior officers over ‘age falsification’

 - NigerianEye
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