The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has directed the immediate reinstatement of 475 police officers whose compulsory retirement was reversed by the National Industrial Court to report for a six-month induction course at the Police Staff College, Jos, as part of the process of their full reintegration into the Nigeria Police Force.
The directive was conveyed in a confidential signal dated July 31, 2026, referenced,CH:8400/FS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.2/238, and signed by the Force Secretary, Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Bode Akinbamilowo, on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police.
The signal was addressed to all Assistant Inspectors-General of Police in charge of zonal commands, Commissioners of Police in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as the Commandant of the Police Staff College, Jos.
According to the directive, the affected officers are among those who were previously retired following the decision of the Police Service Commission (PSC) at its First Extraordinary Meeting held on January 31, 2025, on the merger of service records for Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs) and Inspector Force Entrants.
However, their retirement was subsequently nullified following the judgment of the National Industrial Court in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/28/2025, which ordered their reinstatement.
The police authorities said the induction programme is designed to facilitate the officers’ seamless return to active service after their reinstatement.
The Inspector-General directed all commands nationwide to urgently identify, notify and ensure that the affected officers report to the Police Staff College, Jos, within the stipulated timeframe.
Under the schedule contained in the signal, documentation and arrival of participants commenced on August 1 and will end on August 16, 2026, while the six-month induction course will run from August 17, 2026, to February 16, 2027.
The IGP further instructed the Commandant of the Police Staff College to submit the comprehensive list of all officers successfully documented for the course on or before August 24, 2026, warning that lateness would not be tolerated.
“The Inspector-General of Police firmly directs you to locate and warn the affected officers whose details are annexed herewith to report at the Police Staff College, Jos, for a six-month induction course.” the signal stated.
The Force Headquarters also copied the directive to the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police overseeing Finance and Administration, Operations, Logistics and Supply, Investigation, Training and Development, Research and Planning, Information and Communication Technology, and Intelligence, alongside the Police Accounts and Budget Department.
The IGP charged all relevant departments and formations to take the necessary administrative and logistical steps to ensure a smooth and hitch-free induction exercise.
The latest directive marks another major step in implementing the judgment of the National Industrial Court, which overturned the compulsory retirement of the 475 officers and restored them to service after a prolonged legal battle over the harmonization of service records and dates of first appointment.
The development is expected to strengthen police manpower while bringing closure to one of the most significant personnel disputes in the recent history of the Nigeria Police Force.
