Some police officers have reiterated their call on the Nigeria Police Force to obey the judgment of the National Industrial Court, which ordered their reinstatement after alleged forceful retirement

The aggrieved retired officers who were members of the courses 33, 34 and 35 (force of the police entrants) of the Police Academy, had earlier approached the NIC to challenge their compulsory retirement from the force when they were yet to reach the mandatory 35 years.

The court, presided over by Justice Oyewumi Oyebiola, ordered that the Inspector General of Police, the Police Service Commission and the Force Secretary of the Police reinstate the officers. The court also restrained the defendants, the IG, the PSC and the Force Secretary of the Nigeria Police from retiring the officers compulsorily.

However, since April 19, 2022, when the judgment was delivered, the IGP and other defendants were yet to obey the court order reinstating the officers of courses of Course 33, 34 and 35 of the police academy, who joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1996, 1999 and 2000, respectively.

In a letter, addressed to President Bola Tinubu and made available to our correspondent on Wednesday, by their lawyer, Mr Adetoye Adejola, the retired police officers begged the President to intervene in the matter of their reinstatement following the alleged disobediencourt judgement by the NPF.

The letter was titled, Re: Petition on non-implementation of the judgment of THE National Industrial Court of Nigeria in suit No. NICN/ABJ/281/2021 between CSP. Egong Egwu Egong & 3 Ors Vs. Police Service Commission & 2 ORS. Delivered on 19th April, 2022, and a call to save the souls of members of the Courses 33, 34, and 35 (force entrants) of the Police Academy. Request for the recall of the unlawfully retired police officers in aid of national policing and internal security

The letter read, “We are Solicitors to Police Officers who are members of Courses 21, 33, 34 and 35 (Force Entrants) of the Police Academy of the Nigeria Police Force (hereinafter referred to as “our clients) and on whose mandate we write this letter as a follow-up to our previous letters of complaint.

“By our previous letters we have made a formal complaint on the non-implementation of the judgment of the Industrial Court delivered three years ago to the effect that the Police Authority under the leadership of the Inspector General of Police had since stopped the payment of salary of our clients, some had been forcefully sent into retirement, while those that are still in the active service were made redundant by not assigning any role or duty post to them.

The lawyer commended President Tinubu for the recent withdrawal of police officers attached to the VIPs across the country, but said the NPF could still make use of the forceful retired officers in the service to the nation, hence the need for their retirement.

“The recent bold directive by Your Excellency (President Tinubu) to the effect that the Nigeria Police Authority withdraw with immediate effect officers attached to VIPs and redirect the manpower towards frontline crime fighting and community policing necessitates this new letter.

“In light of the directives, we respectfully wish to bring to Your Excellency’s attention the plight and potential value of some senior police officers who were compulsorily retired before attaining their due retirement age or statutory years of service by the police authority and also refused and/or neglected to implement the court judgment referred to in our previous letters. These officers, many of whom are still very agile and possess extensive operational and leadership experience, no doubt, remain a valuable asset to the nation.”

“Your Excellency, Sir, recalling these officers will not only reinforce the depleted ranks of the Nigeria Police but will also serve as a signal of your commitment to justice, fairness, and the promotion of professionalism within the force, ” he appealed.

The legal practitioner also urged the president to givean order for the immediate implementation of the court judgment in favour of the aggrieved retired officers and recall them to serve the nation, “particularly in this period of heightened insecurity.” (The PUNCH)