Over 200 Senior Police Officers Allegedly Refuse Retirement, Vow To Remain In Office

More than 200 senior police officers in Nigeria have reportedly refused to retire, despite being caught falsifying their age record.

According to Sahara reporters, some of these officers have been in service for over 44 years.

This has caused tension between the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dasuki Galandanchi. Galandanchi, whose service was also extended, is asking for two more years, saying that since Egbetokun got an extension, he should also get one.

Egbetokun, however, does not want Galandanchi to stay longer.

He believes Galandanchi has a reckless lifestyle and is difficult to work with. Galandanchi, on the other hand, insists that if he must retire, then Egbetokun should also retire.

Recall that last year, the Nigerian Senate changed the law to allow Egbetokun to remain in office past retirement.

However, many people, including the Police Service Commission and the Ministry of Police Affairs, opposed this decision.

They warned that keeping police officers past retirement would cause problems, slow progress, and discourage younger officers.

Senior officers who were supposed to retire tried to use their political connections to pressure President Bola Tinubu.

They argued that many of them are from southern Nigeria, and retiring them would reduce the number of southerners in key positions.

Egbetokun also used this argument to secure his own extension.

In response, the Police Service Commission approved the retirement of these officers, including Simon Lough, the Head of the Police Legal Section, and Benneth Igweh, a former Police Commissioner.

Many of them had falsified their birth dates to stay in service longer.

On February 1, 2025, Egbetokun ordered the immediate retirement of all senior officers who had served for over 35 years or were older than 60. However, just days later, on February 5, 2025, he reversed his decision under pressure from Tinubu’s government.

Now, there is confusion in the police force.

Sahara reporters also gathered that officers are still trying to remain in service, while others believe the retirements should proceed.

The situation has created major conflict within the police leadership.