Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) are investigating six serving Commissioners of Police (CPs) over alleged discrepancies in their dates of birth following a directive requiring officers who have attained the statutory retirement age of 60 to leave the service.

The development has raised questions about the integrity of personnel records within the police establishment, particularly allegations that some senior officers may have manipulated their dates of birth to extend their years in service.

The controversy followed an internal police signal directing the affected Commissioners of Police to submit individual retirement notices after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60.

The directive, titled “Discharge and Retirement”, was referenced INGENPOL/FORSEC Abuja – DTO 020749/11/2026 and reportedly copied to the affected officers, the Police Service Commission, the Department of Finance and Accounts, Zone 7 Command, the Police Academy, police training schools and other relevant departments.

The development followed reports that the affected officers had allegedly refused to retire in accordance with public service regulations, with some reportedly lobbying for promotion to the rank of Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs).

It was gathered that the discrepancies were allegedly uncovered following information provided by a whistleblower to the Police Service Commission.

The report identified the affected officers as CP Adamu A. Elleman, CP Abdullateef A. Yusuf, CP Lasisi A. Titilola, CP Markus Ishaku Basiran, CP Ajayi Oluyemi and CP Sylvester Onyie Uzoefuna.

It alleged that discrepancies in their personnel records involved alterations to their dates of birth, which enabled some of them to remain in service beyond their legitimate retirement dates.

According to the information, the PSC Chairman, DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu (retd.), initiated an investigation following the whistleblower’s information and reportedly substantiated the allegations, prompting the retirement directive.

The report further indicated that the affected officers had different retirement dates based on their respective dates of birth, with some allegedly having exceeded their retirement dates by several years.

However, details published by different newspapers have revealed inconsistencies in the names and dates of birth contained in accounts of the internal police communication, making independent verification of the personnel records important.

Saturday Tribune, in its November 7 report, said the police signal referred to six officers but contained only five names, alongside six dates of birth.

The controversy comes amid renewed scrutiny of retirement regulations and personnel administration within the Nigeria Police Force.

The statutory retirement age of 60 years remains a key requirement governing the exit of public servants, alongside applicable length-of-service provisions.

The latest development has raised questions about the effectiveness of personnel record verification mechanisms within the Force and the extent to which alleged irregularities may have affected career progression and succession planning at senior levels.

If established, the allegations could have implications for the integrity of the police promotion and retirement system, particularly where officers may have benefited from inaccurate personnel records.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no publicly available comprehensive statement from the Police Service Commission or the Nigeria Police Force detailing the outcome of the investigation, the evidence obtained, or the final status of the affected officers.

The Commission and the Force are expected to clarify the discrepancies and provide details of any disciplinary or administrative measures arising from the investigation.

Although the spokesperson of the Commission, Mr Torty, could not be immediately reached for details of the probe, an official of the Commission confirmed the story. (Sunday Tribune)