The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja presided by their Lordships, Hon. Justice Donatus Uwaezuoke Okorowo, Hon. Justice Adebukunola I. Banjoko and Hon. Justice Okon Efreti Abang, have ordered for the reinstatement of 455 illegally and unlawfully retired police officers by the Police Service Commission, PSC.
The Judges in the their judgement and ruling, dismissed the appeal No. CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1829MI/2025 between Police Service Commission Vs ACP Chinedu Ambrose Emengaha & 8ors challenging the judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria Abuja Division that was delivered by Hon. R.B Haastrup setting aside the illegal and forceful retirement of 455 senior police officers by the former IGP kayode Egbetokun and the police service commission on the 31st January, 2025.
In its ruling on April 14, 2026, the appellate court upheld the earlier decision of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which had declared the officers’ retirement unlawful and ordered their immediate reinstatement with full salaries and allowances.
The judgment has laid to rest the issue of date of first appointment into the Nigeria police force of Cadet ASP Courses 18, 19 and 20 force entrants of the police Academy.
The court agreed with the lower court that the retirement carried out on January 31, 2025, by the PSC and former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, was illegal.
This latest decision comes weeks after the same court, on March 16, 2026, struck out a separate appeal filed by the IGP and the Force Secretary, describing it as lacking merit.
The PSC and the former IGP compulsorily retired 455 senior officers, a move that triggered outrage within the police force.
Among those affected were senior officers including AIG Idowu Owohunwa, AIG Ben Igwe, and DCP Simon Lough (SAN).
The affected officers challenged the action at the National Industrial Court in Abuja and in a judgment delivered on September 30, 2025, Justice R.B. Haastrup ruled in their favour, ordering their reinstatement and payment of all outstanding entitlements.
The court also restrained the PSC and the former IGP from taking similar actions.
Despite the ruling, both the PSC and the former IGP filed separate appeals, which have now been dismissed.
With these decisions, the legal battle over the controversial retirement has effectively come to an end, reinforcing the position on the date of first appointment for Cadet ASP Courses 18, 19, and 20 of the Police Academy.
Observers and concerned citizens have called on the current Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the PSC to comply fully with the court’s ruling.
They urged the new leadership to avoid past actions seen as unjust and to ensure the immediate reinstatement of the affected officers in line with the law.
