The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has filed a 14-count criminal charge against several retired senior police officers, including a former Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Idowu Owohunwa, and two former Commissioners of Police, Benneth Igweh and Ukachi Peter Opara, over alleged forgery, conspiracy, and falsification of age and service records.
Filed at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, under suit number CR/353/25, the case also names retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, Obo Ukam Obo, and retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Simon Lough, SAN, as co-defendants. Other unnamed suspects have reportedly fled and remain at large.
According to court filings reviewed by The Journal, the accused officers—most of whom joined the force around 1999—allegedly falsified internal police signals and submitted forged documents to prolong their time in service illegally. A central piece of alleged evidence, Signal No. DTO 221535/05/89, purportedly sent from NIGPOL Admin Lagos to the Police Academy in Kaduna, has been described by prosecutors as a fabricated document used to distort official records.
One of the charges reads:
“That you, AIG Idowu Owohunwa (Rtd), and others, committed the offence of conspiracy with intent to commit criminal offence punishable under Section 97(1)(2) of the Penal Code Law.”
The defendants are also accused of dishonestly deploying forged signals in ongoing or concluded litigations, particularly in suits involving the Police Service Commission (PSC). In one instance, the defendants allegedly presented the false signal to the National Industrial Court in the case of ACP Sunday Okuguni & Ors v. PSC & 1 Or, with the intention of misleading the court and obtaining a favourable judgment.
Further allegations involve perjury and unlawful extension of service tenure through falsified affidavits. The charge sheet details how AIG Owohunwa reportedly submitted an affidavit in Owohunwa & 2 Ors v. PSC & 7 Ors while concealing the fact that he had already retired. CP Benneth Igweh is also accused of altering his birth date from 1964 to 1968, while ACP Lough is alleged to have misrepresented his enlistment year and falsely claimed to have only served 25 years in the police force, despite records indicating he joined in 1987.
The court documents cite multiple violations of the Penal Code, including:
Conspiracy – Section 97
Forgery – Sections 158 and 161
Falsification of age – Section 366
Perjury and false declarations under oath
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These developments follow the March 2025 compulsory retirement of seven senior police officers. A wireless message dated 4 March 2025 confirmed their exit following decisions reached at an extraordinary PSC meeting held on 20 February 2025.
Those retired include Owohunwa, Lough, Igweh, CP Aina Emmanuel A., CP Salama Wakili Abdul, ACP Dakon Philip Sarpiwefa, and ACP Grace O. Ejiofor.
While the current legal action has been hailed in some quarters as a necessary step to restore discipline and accountability within the Nigeria Police Force, questions have emerged about the consistency of enforcement. Critics point to the Inspector-General himself, who remains in office despite allegations of surpassing the statutory age or service limit.
Sources within the police and civil service allege that IGP Egbetokun’s continued stay in office is largely due to political protection, particularly from First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu, who is said to have intervened to prevent his removal.
Legal analysts say the case underscores deep-rooted problems within the police system, particularly concerning manipulation of service records and disregard for institutional rules.
If convicted, the accused face various penalties under the Penal Code, including imprisonment, dismissal of service benefits, and further sanctions from the PSC.
The trial date is expected to be announced shortly.
